Health literacy profiles and empowerment strategies for older adults on an offshore island
A community-based study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22078551 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ya-Ling Lin (Tajen University), Chun-Man Hsieh (Tajen University), Tsay-I Chiang (0000-0003-2241-8793, Hungkuang University), Jui-O Chen (Tajen University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Pages | 1798244-1798244 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1798244 |
| PMID | 42326929 |
| OpenAlex | W7163586980 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
Background Health literacy is a crucial determinant of health outcomes and reflects an individual’s ability to obtain, process, and understand essential health information for informed decision-making. Limited health literacy is associated with poor self-management, increased hospitalizations, and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to assess the level of health literacy and identify related factors among older adults residing in Liuqiu Township, a rural island community in southern Taiwan. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 80 older adults aged 65 and above (74.66 ± 5.77 years). Participants were recruited from Community Care Stations through purposive sampling. Health literacy was measured using the 20-item Mandarin Multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire (MMHLQ). Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Results The mean total health literacy score was 2.57 ± 0.61. The highest subdomain score was found in “understanding health information” (3.06 ± 0.66), while the lowest was in “accessing health information” (2.18 ± 0.87). Participants found searching for health information on the internet particularly difficult (1.49 ± 0.89). Significant differences were observed based on education level ( F = 19.094, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.33) and internet seeking behavior ( t = 3.986, p < 0.001, d = 1.18). Notably, 90.0% of participants were on medication, while 90.0% had primary education or below. Internet search behavior was positively correlated with overall health literacy ( r = 0.411, p < 0.05). Conclusion In response to high medication use and low digital access, our team implemented a “motorcycle-based” community empowerment program. We conducted door-to-door home visits to perform personalized medication reviews and family-centered education. This proactive strategy bridges the gap between passive literacy and health empowerment, providing a foundation for nursing professionals to promote healthy aging in resource-limited rural contexts
Community health · Empowerment · Health care · Health education · Health information · Health literacy · Information seeking behavior · Literacy · The Internet · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Social Media in Health Education · Technology Use by Older Adults
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |