What Factors Are Associated with Health Literacy Among Family Caregivers of Older Adults?

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with different levels of health literacy among family caregivers of older adults.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 family caregivers recruited while care recipients attended appointments at a tertiary hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Caregivers were classified into three groups (i.e. inadequate, marginal, and adequate health literacy) according to the total score on a health literacy measure. In addition to health literacy, caregivers were assessed for burnout, depressive symptoms, social support, and satisfaction with caregiving and completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic and caregiving characteristics.

RESULTS

In the ordinal logistic regression analysis, higher educational attainment, a greater number of days per week devoted to caregiving, lower levels of burnout, and the absence of depressive symptoms were associated with increased odds of having higher levels of health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Sociodemographic, caregiving-related, and psychological factors were associated with health literacy among family caregivers of older adults.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although nearly half of the caregivers were classified as having adequate health literacy, interventions aimed at promoting health literacy while also reducing psychological distress, particularly burnout symptoms and depressive symptoms, are warranted for family caregivers recruited from tertiary hospital settings.