The effects of health literacy in influenza vaccination competencies among community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
Poor health literacy was found to be one of the key barriers in older adults' disease prevention practice. However, it has still been unclear how different processes in health literacy play a role in older adult's vaccination-related competencies. By adopting the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU), the current study aimed to examine older adults' competences in accessing, understanding, evaluating and applying health information, as well as how they are related to perceived difficulties in vaccination-related practices. .


METHODS
With a cross-sectional design, a quantitative exploratory study was conducted using structured questionnaires. Four-hundred and 86 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and above were recruited from non-government organizations in Hong Kong. Health literacy was measured by the Chinese version of 47-item HLS-EU (HLS-Asia-Q), which assesses the competences in accessing, understanding, evaluating and applying health information across the domains of health care, disease prevention, and health promotion. Linear regression was performed to test the association between different aspects of health literacy and vaccination-related information processing.


RESULTS
The findings showed that the health literacy of Hong Kong older adults has been limited, particularly in information appraisal. Poorer competences in accessing and appraising health information were associated with greater difficulties in making vaccination decision.


CONCLUSIONS
By identifying the health literacy processes associated with vaccination, our findings suggested that health-promotion programs strengthening the appraisal and comparison of vaccination information should be provided for the general public. Meanwhile, health professionals and mass media should reduce the complexity when delivering the health messages, and make it easier for older adults to access and comprehend, thus increasing the inclination to take vaccine and preventing the spread of communicable diseases.
['Zhang|Fan|F|', 'Or|Peggy Pui-Lai|PP|0000-0001-6611-2724', 'Chung|Joanne Wai-Yee|JW|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D057220:Health Literacy D006723:Hong Kong D006801:Humans D057187:Independent Living D007251:Influenza, Human D008297:Male D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014611:Vaccination
Health literacy Vaccination Older adults Disease prevention European health literacy survey Health care Health promotion