Health Literacy Self-efficacy and Self-rated Health in Relation to the Health of Flint Seniors

Abstract

Health literacy, self-rate health, and screenings are imporant to the health of older adults. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of health literacy to self-rated health and preventative services in older adults. This cross sectional study was performed in Flint, Michigan in 2011 and had a sample size of n=100. The sample is equally distributed by race and gender. The data analysis was performed using SPSS v.19 utilizing bivariate correlations, bivariate logistic regressions, and cross tabs analysis. It was concluded that people who evaluated themselves as having poor self rated-health are more likely to have low health literacy, which holds true until the logistic regression. People who are not current on their preventive screenings will have poorer health literacy; this is true for immunizations and mammograms, but not pap tests. African Americans would be more likely to have low health literacy and poorer self-rated health, for self rated-health this is only significant in correlations. Lastly, that people who have not graduated high school will have lower health literacy than those whith higher education, but having poorer self-rated health was not found to be significant with educational attainment.