Health literacy skills in rural and urban populations.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether health literacy is lower in rural populations.


METHODS
We analyzed health, prose, document, and quantitative literacy from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy study. Metropolitan Statistical Area designated participants as rural or urban.


RESULTS
Rural populations had lower literacy levels for all literacy types (P<0.001 for each). After adjusting for known confounders, there was no longer a difference in health or prose literacy (P>0.05). However, rural populations had higher document (P=0.04) and quantitative (P=0.01) literacy.


CONCLUSIONS
Health literacy is lower in the rural population although this difference is explained by known confounders.
Zahnd
Whitney E
WE
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62794-9636, USA.
Scaife
Steven L
SL
Francis
Mark L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult