[Analysis of status and influence factors of health literacy related to infectious diseases in residents of Beijing]

Abstract

Objective: To assess the status and associated influence factors of health literacy relating to infectious diseases in Beijing.

Methods: A multi-stage stratified sampling method was carried out to select the sample population in Beijing, which were adults aged over 18 years. The questionnaire survey was used to collect the information of adult health literacy relating to infectious diseases, and the answers were scored. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influence factors of health literacy relating to infectious diseases.

Results: The samples were 13 287 people, and the valid questionnaires were 13 001. In the study, 9.9% of the respondents were classified with enough health literacy relating to infectious diseases, and the low level of health literacy was observed among the respondents living in rural area (6.6%), elderly aged over 60 years (6.4%), poor-educated people (0.8%), farmers (4.5%), workers (4.3%), house-holders and people waiting for employment (4.5%). Multiple Logistic analyses indicated that age, educational status, occupation, self-reported health status, and regions (urban or rural area) were the influence factors associated with the level of health literacy.

Conclusion: The residents living in Beijing were considered to be with low level of health literacy relating to infectious diseases, and more measures should be taken to improve it.