Health Literacy, Health Numeracy, and Understanding Health Information in Japanese Adults
METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted in June 2013 among 424 Japanese adults aged 35-59 years. HL and HM were measured using HLS-14 (Environ Health Prev Med 2013) and Lipkus-J (BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2012), respectively. Participants were asked to read a health checkup report (indicating a hypothetical case of metabolic syndrome) and then answer their perceptions of the condition described in the report.
RESULTS: The mean HLS-14 score was significantly higher for women (52.1±6.9 vs. 48.9±7.2), whereas the mean Lipkus-J score was significantly higher for men (10.1±1.5 vs. 9.5±1.8). The correlation between the HLS-14 and Lipkus-J scores was statistically significant but was very weak (γ=0.18). After reading the health checkup report, about one third of the participants identified all the health problems specified in the report correctly. When the two groups with a score above and below the median (50 for HLS-14, 10 for Lipkus-J), respectively, were compared, those with the higher HLS-14 score were more likely to identify all the health problems specified in the report correctly, perceive the condition described in the report as risky, and express willingness to perform risk reduction behaviors. No significant differences were found using Lipkus-J.
CONCLUSIONS:
HLS-14 rather than Lipkus-J showed significant associations with medical data interpretation, risk perception, and behavioral intention. HL may play a key role in health promotion activities even in a well-educated population like the Japanese.
This work was supported by the Research Grant from Japan Society of Health Evaluation and Promotion.