title: Relationships among health literacy, knowledge about hormone therapy, self-efficacy, and decision-making among postmenopausal health.
abstract: Little is known about how health literacy affects women's decisions about their menopausal health care. This exploratory study provides a crucial first step in gaining an understanding of the relationship between health literacy and potential factors such as knowledge, self-efficacy, and intent to take hormone therapy among postmenopausal women. Data were collected for 106 participants, age range 45-65, who were attending a family clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire that included questions on hormone therapy knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioral intent concerning hormone therapy, and health literacy as well as demographic data. Inferential statistical tests were used to assess the relationships among health literacy, knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavioral intent concerning hormone therapy. Pearson correlations indicated a positive relationship between both health literacy and knowledge about hormone therapy (r = .64; p </= .01) and between health literacy and self-efficacy regarding hormone therapy (r = .69; p </= .01). Only two variables, health literacy and self-efficacy, achieved sufficient strength to enter the stepwise regression. Sixty-six percent of the variance for behavioral intent concerning hormone therapy was accounted for by decision self-efficacy, and 9% was accounted for by health literacy (R(2) = .75; p < .05). Further research to better understand the relationship between health literacy and self-efficacy and the impact of these factors on actual health outcomes and decision making is likely to have important communication implications for both patients and their providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education, Borough of Manhattan Community College, The City University of New York, New York, New York 10007, USA. rytl@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Rachel Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003151:Community Health Centers; D032882:Comprehension; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation; D017698:Postmenopause; D011594:Psychometrics; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology