scholarly journals Association between Covid-19 preventive behaviors and health literacy, information-evaluation ,and decision-making skills in Japanese adults (Preprint)

10.2196/34966 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Nakayama ◽  
Yuki Yonekura ◽  
Hitomi Danya ◽  
Kanako Hagiwara
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Nakayama ◽  
Yuki Yonekura ◽  
Hitomi Danya ◽  
Kanako Hagiwara

BACKGROUND Health literacy is important for the prevention of COVID-19. Research in Japan shows that health literacy is related to skills in evaluating information and decision making (not necessarily limited to health information). Such basic skills are important, particularly when individuals encounter new health issues for which there is insufficient evidence. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the extent to which COVID-19 preventive behaviors were associated with health literacy and skills in evaluating information and making decisions. METHODS An online questionnaire survey was conducted using a Japanese Internet research company. A total of 3,914 valid responses were received. The measures comprised eight items on COVID-19 preventive behaviors, health literacy items (European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire), five items on information evaluation, and four items on the decision-making process. Pearson correlations between these variables were calculated. Multivariate analyses were also conducted using COVID-19 preventive behavior score as a dependent variable. RESULTS COVID-19 preventive behaviors were significantly correlated with health literacy, information evaluation, and the decision-making process (.23, .24, .30, respectively). The multiple linear regression analysis results showed that the standardized regression coefficients for each were .11, .13, and .18; the highest value was for decision-making skills. CONCLUSIONS Although comprehensive health literacy is necessary for COVID-19 preventive behaviors, the skills to evaluate a wide range of information and to make appropriate decisions are no less important. Opportunities for people to acquire these skills should be available at all times.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Nakayama ◽  
Yuki Yonekura ◽  
Hitomi Danya ◽  
Kanako Hagihara

Abstract Background Health literacy in Japanese people is often low because people find it difficult to evaluate health information and make informed decisions. Clarifying the association between health literacy and the skills to evaluate information and make appropriate decisions (not necessarily limited to health information) would inform efforts to improve health literacy. Therefore, the study objectives were to investigate the following issues using a nationwide survey in Japan: 1) When obtaining information, to what extent do people appropriately evaluate whether the information is reliable, and when making decisions, to what extent do they seek out available options and compare pros and cons based on their own values? 2) How strongly are these skills associated with health literacy and demographic characteristics? 3) What opportunities are available to learn these skills? Methods An online questionnaire survey was conducted using a Japanese Internet research company; 3,914 valid responses were received. The measures comprised health literacy (European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire), five items on information evaluation, four items on the decision-making process, and items on the availability and location of learning opportunities. Pearson correlations were calculated to explore the association of health literacy with information-evaluation and decision-making skills. Multivariate analyses were also conducted using these factors as dependent variables. Results Less than half of respondents always or often evaluated information and engaged in the decision-making process. Health literacy was significantly correlated with information evaluation and the decision-making process (.26 and .30, respectively). More than 40% of respondents had no learning opportunities. Respondents who did have learning opportunities learned on their own, rather than at school or work, using sources such as the Internet and television. Conclusions Both information-evaluation and decision-making skills were associated with health literacy. However, these skills are not sufficiently widespread in Japan, because there are few opportunities to learn them. More research is needed to raise awareness of the importance of these skills for improving health literacy, and to provide appropriate learning opportunities. Additionally, an environment must be created in which all individuals can easily receive support at any time, so that they can make appropriate decisions based on reliable information.


2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110139
Author(s):  
Hui Wang ◽  
Pak Leng Cheong ◽  
JianWei Wu ◽  
Iat Kio Van

Health literacy has been identified as one vital determinant of public health and healthy behaviors, but very few studies regarding infectious disease prevention have been found. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to validate the pathway of infectious disease-specific health literacy (IDSHL), COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) preventive behaviors, and their determinants. A sample of 1459 casino workers in Macao was eligible for analysis. The concept model was verified with a comparative fit index of 0.937 and goodness-of-fit index of 0.971. Government responses was a significant determinant of situational factors (helpfulness of health information, resource accessibility, and organizational training adequacy), while situational factors showed a direct effect on COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Education and organization training adequacy was the strongest influencing factor of IDSHL, which should be a key target of intervention programs for COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azam Namdar ◽  
Mohammad Mehdi Naghizadeh ◽  
Marziyeh Zamani ◽  
Ali Montazeri

Abstract Background Health literacy (HL) may affect the consumption of fast food. We aimed to evaluate the effect of HL on fast food consumption among adult populations in Iran. Methods We evaluated HL and fast food consumption in 421 adult participants with age range of 18–65 years old in Fasa, Fars Province, southern Iran. Two-step cluster and systematic sampling was performed to recruit the study sample. Data were collected using a fast food consumption checklist, and the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) by face-to-face interviews. Population data across groups with and without fast food intake were compared. Results Most participants used fast food every few months (49.9%). People with low or unstable income consumed more fast food than others (P < 0.05). Sandwich and hotdog were the most consumed fast food (60.8%) followed by pizza (34.9%). Sausage and soda were the most seasoning food (66.7%). Most participants used fast food as dinner (67.9%) and with family (72.2%), suggesting the institutionalized consumption of this type of food in the family. Fun was the most frequent reason for the use of fast food (66.5%). Most participants completely knew about the raw materials for fast food and their adverse effects. Finally, we found that overall health literacy was lower among those who used fast food than those who did not. Consumed fast food (68.16 ± 23.85 vs. 73.15 ± 20.15; p = 0.021). This difference was also observed for some components of health literacy including reading skills, and decision-making subscales. Conclusions The findings suggest there is a negative relationship between general health literacy and fast food consumption indicating that who possess lower level of health literacy is likely to consume more fast food. Specifically, the findings suggest that reading skills, and decision-making (behavioral intention) are more associated with decreased or increased fast food intake.


2020 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
pp. e817-e818
Author(s):  
Kerry Kilbridge ◽  
William Martin-Doyle* ◽  
Christopher Filson ◽  
Quoc-Dien Trinh ◽  
Sierra Williams ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming-Jye Wang ◽  
Hung-Ming Lin ◽  
Li-Chen Hung ◽  
Yi-Ting Lo

Abstract Background: The effects of patient sustained self-care behaviors on glycemic control are even greater than the effects of medical treatment, indicating the value of identifying the factors that influence self-care behaviors. To date, these factors have not been placed in a single model to clarify the critical path affecting self-care behaviors. The aims of this study were to explore the relationships of these factors and the differences in patient preference for medical decision-making.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatients with type 2 diabetes at a regional teaching hospital. Purposive sampling was adopted to recruit 316 eligible patients via self-administered questionnaires. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for analysis.Results: Significant direct pathways were identified from health literacy to self-efficacy, patient empowerment, and self-care behaviors; from self-efficacy to self-care behaviors; and from patient empowerment to self-care behaviors. Indirect pathways were from health literacy to self-care behaviors via self-efficacy or patient empowerment. The pathway from health literacy to self-efficacy was significantly stronger in those preferring shared decision-making than in those who preferred physician decision-making. Conclusions: Health literacy is a critical factor in improving self-care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes, and the effect of health literacy on self-efficacy was more significant in the shared decision-making than in the physician decision-making. Therefore, developing an effective health strategy to strengthen health literacy awareness and designing friendly, diverse health literacy materials, and application tools is the most important factor to facilitate self-care behaviors in this population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 392-408
Author(s):  
Sasha A. Fleary ◽  
Patrece Joseph

Objective: Adolescents assume increased responsibility for their health, particularly regarding health decision-making for lifestyle behaviors. Prior research suggests a relationship between health literacy (HL) and health behaviors in adolescents. Yet, the specific role of HL in adolescents' health decision-making is unclear. This study qualitatively explored adolescents' use of HL in their health decision-making. Methods: Six focus groups with adolescents (N = 37, Mage = 16.49, 86% girls) were conducted. Adolescents' responses to questions about their HL use were coded using thematic analysis. Results: Adolescents identified passive and active HL engagement and several individual (eg, future orientation, risk perception) and environmental (eg, access to resources/information, media) factors that influenced their use of HL in health decision-making. Feedback from others, subjective health, and ability to navigate multiple sources of information also determined adolescents' confidence in their HL skills. Conclusions: Our results support expanding the types of HL studied/measured in adolescents and provide insight on how HL can be leveraged to improve adolescents' health decision-making. Though there was no guiding theory for this study, results support using the Information-Motivation-Behavior Skills model to assess the HL/health decision-making relationship in adolescence.


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