Back to Search
Start Over
Health literacy, self-perceived health and self-reported chronic morbidity among older people in Kosovo.
- Source :
- Health Promotion International; Sep2015, Vol. 30 Issue 3, p667-674, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- The aim was to describe health literacy among the older population of Kosovo, an Albanian speaking post-war country in the Western Balkans, in the context of self-perceived health status and self-reported chronic morbidity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in 2011 including 1753 individuals aged ≥65 years (886 men, 867 women; mean age 73.4±6.3 years; response rate: 77%). Participants were asked to assess, on a scale from 1 to 5, their level of difficulty with regard to access, understanding, appraisal and application of health information. Sub-scale scores and an overall health literacy score were calculated for each participant. Information on self-perceived health status, presence and number of chronic diseases and socioeconomic characteristics was also collected. Mean values of the overall health literacy score and all sub-scale scores (access, understanding, appraisal and application) were lower among older people who reported a poorer health status or at least one chronic condition compared with individuals who perceived their health status as good or had no chronic conditions (p < 0.001 for all). Our findings provide valuable evidence on the independent and inverse association between health literacy levels and self-perceived health and chronic morbidity in this post-war European population. The putative link with chronic morbidity and lower adherence to health services is hard to establish through this cross-sectional study. Prospective population-based studies should be conducted in Kosovo and other transitional settings to replicate these findings and properly address the causal relationship between health literacy and health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09574824
- Volume :
- 30
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Health Promotion International
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 109281607
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dau009