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Double burden of COVID-19 knowledge deficit: low health literacy and high information avoidance

Authors :
Xuewei Chen
Ming Li
Gary L. Kreps
Source :
BMC Research Notes, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
BMC, 2022.

Abstract

Abstract Objective People with lower levels of health literacy are likely to report engaging in information avoidance. However, health information avoidance has been overlooked in previous research on responses to viral outbreaks. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to assess the relationship between health literacy and COVID-19 information avoidance. Students (n = 561) at a university in the south central region of the U.S. completed our online survey conducted from April to June 2020 using simple random sampling. We measured information avoidance and the degree to which people opt not to learn about COVID-19 when given the choice. We assessed participants’ health literacy level using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and All Aspect of Health Literacy Scale (AAHLS). Results Those with lower health literacy were more likely to avoid information about COVID-19. This negative association between health literacy and information avoidance was consistent across all types of health literacy measures: NVS scores (b = − 0.47, p = 0.033), eHEALS scores (b = − 0.12, p = 0.003), functional health literacy (b = − 0.66, p = 0.001), communicative health literacy (b = − 0.94, p

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17560500
Volume :
15
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
BMC Research Notes
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.bf5acafc7c274876902f9ee6bc8cf760
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-022-05913-8