Author(s)

YuZhao Wang¹, YuMin Dou², PanPan Zhang², ShouYing Wang^2*

Affiliation(s)

¹Wentworth Graduate College, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.

²Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China.

Corresponding Author

ShouYing Wang

ABSTRACT

Objective: Research on the health literacy level of rural residents and its influencing factors can help to improve the health level of rural residents, but also promote the development of rural medical and health care, and provide decision-making references for relevant departments to formulate policies.

Method: The health literacy situation of rural residents in Fengqiu County was investigated by questionnaire star using the Chinese Residents' Health Literacy Questionnaire, and this study is a cross-sectional survey.

Results: The overall health literacy level of rural residents in Fengqiu County, Xinxiang City, Henan Province, was 24.17% in 2024. Those with basic knowledge and conceptual ability accounted for 23.54%, those with lifestyle and behavioral ability accounted for 24.75%, and those with health skills accounted for 18.33%. The knowledge and ability of rural residents in Fengqiu County in six categories of health issues, scientific health concepts accounted for 29.20%, infectious disease prevention, and treatment accounted for 18.25%, chronic disease prevention and treatment accounted for 4.23%, safety, and first aid accounted for 30.17%, basic medical care accounted for 20.19%, and health information accounted for 19.55%, which are all lower than the national level.

Among the 1233 respondents, 200 males had health literacy skills with a health literacy level of 67.23%, and 98 females had health literacy skills with a health literacy level of 32.77%, with a statistically significant difference in health literacy levels between the sexes (χ2=18.73, P<0.0001). The health literacy level of rural residents under the age of 18 years was the lowest at 12. 96% and the highest in the 18-25 age group was 62.18%, with a statistically significant difference in health literacy levels between different age groups (χ2=34.39, P<0.0001). and the highest in the 18-25 age group was 62.18%, with a statistically significant difference in health literacy levels of rural residents between different age groups (χ2=34.39, P<0.0001). Rural residents with primary school education or less, 385 people, accounting for 31.26%, had the lowest health literacy level, 3.67%, and the difference between different education levels was statistically significant (χ2=284.1, P<0.0001), as the education level increases, the health literacy level of rural residents also increases. Occupation affects the health literacy level, farmers have the lowest health literacy level, 12.11%, and the difference in health literacy level between different occupations is statistically significant (χ2=61.30, P＜0.0001).

Conclusion: The overall health literacy level of rural residents in Fengqiu County, as well as the results in the three aspects of basic health literacy knowledge and concepts, lifestyle and behavior, and health skills, and the six types of health literacy questions, were lower than the national level. Gender, age, education level, and occupation can affect the health literacy level of rural residents, and relevant departments should take strong measures to promote the improvement of the health literacy level of rural residents.

KEYWORDS

Rural residents; Health literacy; Influencing factors; Education level; Occupation

CITE THIS PAPER

YuZhao Wang, YuMin Dou, PanPan Zhang, ShouYing Wang. Current status and influencing factors of health literacy among rural residents in China--a cross-sectional survey. Eurasia Journal of Science and Technology. 2024, 6(7): 39-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/ejst3054.

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