6533b7d7fe1ef96bd1268664
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Health literacy supports active aging
Taina RantanenErja PortegijsLeena PaakkariMilla SaajanahoJohanna Eronensubject
MaleGerontologyAginghealth promotionEpidemiologyCross-sectional studyterveysosaaminenhealth promotion [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p12732]01 natural sciences0302 clinical medicineSurveys and QuestionnairesMedicine030212 general & internal medicinekohorttitutkimusFinlandInformaatiotutkimuksen päivätAged 80 and overMiddle AgedPredictive value3. Good healthScale (social sciences)FemaleMultiple Chronic ConditionsPsychologyikääntyneetCohort studymultimorbidityHealth literacyterveyden edistäminen03 medical and health sciencestoimintakykycomorbidity [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p18495]cohort studyHumans0101 mathematicsDepressive symptomsAgedbusiness.industryaging010102 general mathematicsPublic Health Environmental and Occupational Healthgerontology [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p468]lcsh:Zlcsh:Bibliography. Library science. Information resourcesHealth LiteracyikääntyminenCross-Sectional StudiesHealth promotionPhysical performancebusinesshealth literacydescription
From the individual viewpoint, active aging refers to the ability of older persons, depending on their goals, functional capacity and opportunities, to engage in desired activities. This study investigated the role of health literacy in active aging among persons differing in their number of chronic conditions. Data were collected from 948 individuals, 57% women, aged 75, 80 and 85 in 2017–2018 in the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Health literacy was assessed with the 16-question version of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16), active aging with the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale (UJACAS) and self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic conditions. Both health literacy (r = 0.40) and number of chronic conditions (r = −0.21) correlated with the active aging score. Linear regression models revealed that health literacy was a stronger predictor than chronic conditions of active aging (β 0.18, p < 0.001 vs. β −0.06, p = 0.030) and that its predictive value remained statistically significant after adjustment for cognitive capacity, number of depressive symptoms, physical performance and length of education. Higher health literacy can enable older persons, including those with multiple chronic conditions, to maintain higher levels of active aging. As more people are projected to live with chronic conditions to older ages, health literacy may help them to cope with illnesses and functional limitations and lead a fulfilling life. These cross-sectional findings lay a foundation for future prospective and experimental studies on health literacy and active aging. peerReviewed
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-28 | Preventive Medicine |