Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- . Aidin Aryankhesal
- . Noureddin Niknam
- . Mahdi Hasani
- . Nezamaddin Mengelizadeh 1
- . Nahid Aghaei 2
- . Zeinab Ghaedchukamei 3
- . Asaad Ranaei
- . Ehsan Allah Kalteh 4
- . Beheshteh Naghdi 5
1 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Research Center of Health, Safety and Environment, Evaz Faculty of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
2 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nasibeh Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Educational Instructor of Nasibeh Nursing and Midwifery School, Sari, Iran Department of Health in Disaster and Emergency, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, International Campus, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Health Services Management, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
4 Health Management and Social Development Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
5 Deputy of Education, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The literacy level of the elderly is predictive of health behaviors, average
hospitalization in health centers, and the type of verbal interaction with health service providers;
as the level of literacy changes, the quality of life may also change. This study aimed to determine
the relationship between health literacy level and quality of life among the elderly living in nursing
homes in 2018–2019.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was of a descriptive‑analytic, correlation type that was
performed on 175 elderly of selected nursing homes in Tehran. The research tools included the
Abbreviated Mental Test; Control, Autonomy, Pleasure and Self‑realization questionnaire‑19;
and Health Literacy of Iranian Adults Questionnaire (HELIA). Data were analyzed using descriptive
and inferential statistics by SPSS 22 software.
RESULTS: The total score of health literacy and the quality of life of the elderly was 51.01 and
47.75, respectively. The literacy of most of the studied samples was “inadequate” and “not much
adequate” (0–66). The relationship between health literacy and quality of life in the elderly was
significant, and there was a direct and statistically significant relationship between them (P = 0.003).
That is, by an increase in literacy rates, the scores of quality of life of elderly people were also
increased. The correlation was equal to r = −0.28. Health literacy has the ability (31.98%) to predict
the quality of life.
CONCLUSION: The results showed a lack of enough education literacy, the average quality of life,
and the existence of a significant relationship between health literacy and quality of life in the elderly.
The wide range of inadequate literacy in the elderly reveals the importance of paying more attention
to the issue of literacy in health planning and health promotion at the national and local levels.
Keywords
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