Limited Literacy in Older People and Disparities in Health and Healthcare Access

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between health literacy, demographics, and access to health care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, Health, Aging and Body Composition data (1999/2000). SETTING: Memphis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand five hundred twelve black and white community-dwelling older people who were well functioning at baseline (without functional difficulties or dementia). MEASUREMENTS: Participants' health literacy was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Scores were categorized into 0 to sixth-, seventh- to eighth-, and ninth-grade and higher reading levels (limited health literacy defined as P<.02). After adjusting for sociodemographics, health status, and comorbidities, older people with a sixth-grade reading level or lower were twice as likely to have any of the three indicators of poor healthcare access (odds ratio=1.96, 95% confidence interval=1.34–2.88). CONCLUSION: Limited health literacy was prevalent and was associated with low socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and poor access to health care, suggesting that it may be an independent risk factor for health disparities in older people.