Health literacy and nutritional status of elderly in Ban Peuk sub-district, Mueang district, Chonburi province

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between health literacy and nutritional status of the elderly in Ban Peuk sub-district, Mueang district, Chonburi province. The samples were 323 elderly. A questionnaire was used as a research tool for data collection. The questionnaire comprised 4 parts: general information data; nutrition screening; nutrition; and health literacy. Data collection started in January 2023 and ended in February 2023.  Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percent, mean, standard deviation, max, min and inferential statistics, including Chi-square test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.

The findings indicated that Health literacy associated with the nutritional status of the elderly; access skill (r = 0.489), cognitive skill (r = 0.345), interrogation skill (r = 0.435), decision skill (r = 0.482), change of behavior skill (r = 0.445), telling skill (r = 0.501) associated with the under nutrition of the elderly and access skill (r = -0.371), cognitive skill (r = -0.340), interrogation skill   (r = -0.356), decision skill (r = -0.363), change of behavior skill (r = -0.354), telling skill (r = -0.311) associated with the over nutrition  of the elderly with statistical significance at p < 0.01.

Therefore, public health personnel and all related sectors should promote health literacy of the elderly nutrition, for having a good nutritional status.These results could be used for further information on health literacy promotion and to develop skills to promote good health behaviors in the elderly.