Introduction
Health literacy is a critical determinant of health. However, the association between
health literacy and outcomes among Chinese residents has not been studied using nationally
representative data. This study examines the association between health literacy and
self-rated health among Chinese residents based on the 2017 China Health Literacy
Survey.
Methods
The 2017 China Health Literacy Survey was conducted among non-institutionalized residents
aged 15–69 years from 31 provinces in China. Self-rated health was measured using
a single question with a 1–5 scale. Health literacy was assessed using the Chinese
Health Literacy Scale. Multilevel linear regression models examined the association
between health literacy and self-rated health. Data were collected in 2017 and analyzed
between 2018 and 2019.
Results
The final sample size was 85,384. The overall weighted mean of the self-rated health
score was 4.02 (95% CI=4.00, 4.03). After adjusting for individual-, county-, and
province-level covariates, Chinese residents with higher levels of health literacy
were more likely to have better self-rated health (β=0.0007, SE=0.0002, p<0.001). Of 6 dimensions of health literacy, 4 (i.e., infectious diseases literacy,
chronic diseases literacy, medical care literacy, and health information literacy)
were associated with self-rated health. Additionally, self-rated health was associated
with gender, age, education, occupation, annual household income, and chronic conditions.
Conclusions
Using nationally representative data collected in 2017, this study found that self-rated
health is associated with health literacy among Chinese residents aged 15–69 years.
The promotion of health literacy should be an important component of health education,
patient management, and health promotion.
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Published online: February 11, 2021
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