Patterns of health literacy and influencing factors differ by age: a cross-sectional study

Background: Individuals with better health literacy communicate more effectively with healthcare providers, adhere better to medical instructions, and manage their health more successfully. While interest in health literacy is increasing, there is still a lack of comprehensive analysis that includes all age groups. In this study, we examine differences in health literacy and in health literacy-related factors between the elderly and other age groups. Methods: This study used data from the 2020–2021 Korea Health Panel and the 2021 health literacy supplementary survey. The survey included 7,910 participants aged 19 and older and employed the HLS-EU-Q16 tool to measure health literacy. Sociodemographic, health behavior, and healthcare utilization variables were analyzed. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, t-tests, and multiple regression analyses, explored the relationships between health literacy and factors influencing it across different age groups. Results: Health literacy scores decreased with age, with the average score for all participants being 10.96. Specifically, the young group scored higher (14.10), the middle-aged group scored moderately (12.43), and the older group scored the lowest (8.34). We identified several factors influencing health literacy that were consistently significant across age groups, including education, income, self-rated health, and quality of life. Notably, in the elderly group, health-promoting behaviors like walking were associated with health literacy, and those with low education or chronic diseases faced the most significant challenges in health literacy. Conclusions: We found that health literacy declined significantly as adults grew older. In addition, factors related to health literacy differed by age group. These results highlight the need for tailored interventions to meet the specific needs of each age group.