Rüegg, René; Abel, Thomas (2019). The relationship between health literacy and health outcomes among male young adults: exploring confounding effects using decomposition analysis. International journal of public health, 64(4), pp. 535-545. Springer 10.1007/s00038-019-01236-x
![[img]](https://boris.unibe.ch/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
Rüegg IntJPublicHealth 2019.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (325kB) |
OBJECTIVES
Previous studies indicate substantial correlations between low health literacy and poor health outcomes. However, empirical findings remain inconsistent and are theoretically challenging. In this study, we conceptually place health literacy within an established model of health inequality. Studying multiple pathways, we estimate the associations between health literacy and six health outcomes and decompose these associations with health literacy's covariates.
METHODS
Cross-sectional data from the Young Adult Survey Switzerland was used for the analyses (n = 5959, age = 18-25). Logistic regression and KHB decomposition analyses were applied to estimate health literacy's coefficients and confounding percentages.
RESULTS
Eleven covariates were associated with health literacy (p < 0.001). Ten covariates reduced the naïve health literacy coefficient when included in the regression models (confounding percentages: 36.7-86.9%). In three out of six models, the confounding effects led to non-significant health literacy coefficients.
CONCLUSIONS
We found that health literacy's associations with health outcomes are confounded by socioeconomic, material, psychosocial, and health-related factors. More investigations on the causal importance of health literacy, respectively, on its potential to health promotion are required.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Abel, Thomas |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services |
ISSN: |
1661-8556 |
Publisher: |
Springer |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Andrea Flükiger-Flückiger |
Date Deposited: |
02 Apr 2019 12:11 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:28 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1007/s00038-019-01236-x |
PubMed ID: |
30918975 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Decomposition analysis Determinants of health Health behavior Health literacy Health status Young adults |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.129835 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/129835 |
Actions (login required)
 |
Edit item |