Health Behaviors and Health Literacy

Questing the Role of Weak Social Ties Among Older Persons in Rural and Urban Ghana

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22073284
AutoresPadmore Adusei Amoah (0000-0002-8730-5805, autor correspondente), J Musalia (0000-0002-4347-7533, Western Kentucky University), Kofi Abrefa Busia (0000-0003-2667-7338), Kwaku Abrefa Busia
Ano2022
Volume10
Páginas777217-777217
Data de publicação2022-02-28
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
EditoraFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2022.777217
PMID35296048
OpenAlexW4221022098
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas6
Referências citadas61

Background Older persons are one of the most vulnerable groups as regards low health literacy. However, little is known about the extent of limitations and multi-faceted nature of their health literacy, such as its characteristics and social and geographical dimensions. Additionally, most existing studies have predominantly treated health literacy as a risk factor of health and wellbeing of older persons as opposed to an outcome that must be pursued. Objectives This study investigated the moderating role of weak social ties (bridging social capital) in the relationship between health behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol intake, voluntary body check-up and physical exercise, and health literacy among older persons in rural and urban Ghana. Methods Data was drawn from a cross-sectional survey comprising 522 respondents across five administrative regions in Ghana. Ordinary Least Squares regression technique was used to analyse the data. Results Older persons in urban areas had higher health literacy [Mean/Standard deviation (SD) = 9.1/4.1 vs. 10.1/4.2] as well as higher bridging social capital (Mean/SD = 2.0/1.2 vs. 1.6/0.9) than their rural counterparts. Bridging social capital was negatively associated with the health literacy of urban residents ( B = −0.997, p < 0.01). We found evidence that smoking ( B = −0.787, p < 0.05) and undertaking physical activities ( B = 0.812, p < 0.01) were associated with health literacy of older persons in rural areas. Having voluntary body check-ups ( B = 0.155, p < 0.01) was associated with health literacy in urban areas. Bridging social capital negatively moderated the association of smoking with health literacy in rural areas ( B = −5.032, p < 0.01), but it instead positively modified the relationship between alcohol intake and health literacy in urban areas ( B = 0.185, p < 0.05). Conclusion For policymakers and practitioners aiming to promote older persons' health literacy as a public health asset at individual and community levels, an important starting point to achieving such goals is to understand the fundamental indicators (e.g., health behaviors) and the role that social and geographical factors play in shaping their health literacy

Environmental health · Health care · Health literacy · Interpersonal ties · Literacy · Political science · Rural area · Social capital · Sociology · Health disparities and outcomes · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Technology Use by Older Adults · Gerontology