Performance of a Brazilian population on the test of functional health literacy in adults.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the scoring obtained by an instrument, which evaluates the ability to read and understand items in the health care setting, according to education and age.


METHODS
The short version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults was administered to 312 healthy participants of different ages and years of schooling. The study was conducted between 2006 and 2007, in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. The test includes actual materials such as pill bottles and appointment slips and measures reading comprehension, assessing the ability to read and correctly pronounce a list of words and understand both prose passages and numerical information. Pearson partial correlations and a multiple regression model were used to verify the association between its scores and education and age.


RESULTS
The mean age of the sample was 47.3 years(sd=16.8) and the mean education was 9.7 years(sd=5; range: 1 - 17). A total of 32.4% of the sample showed literacy/numeracy deficits, scoring in the inadequate and marginal functional health literacy ranges. Among the elderly (65 years or older) this rate increased to 51.6%. There was a positive correlation between schooling and scores (r=0.74; p<0.01) and a negative correlation between age and the scores (r=-0.259; p<0.01). The correlation between the scores and age was not significant when the effects of education were held constant (rp=-0.031, p=0.584). A significant association (B=3.877, Beta =0.733; p<0.001) was found between schooling and scores. Age was not a significant predictor in this model (B=-0.035, Beta=-0.22; p=0.584).


CONCLUSIONS
The short version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults was a suitable tool to assess health literacy in the study population. The high number of individuals classified as functional illiterates in this test highlights the importance of special assistance to help them properly understand directions for healthcare.
Carthery-Goulart
Maria Teresa
MT
Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. carthery@uol.com.br
Anghinah
Renato
R
Areza-Fegyveres
Renata
R
Bahia
Valeria Santoro
VS
Brucki
Sonia Maria Dozzi
SM
Damin
Antonio
A
Formigoni
Ana Paula
AP
Frota
Norberto
N
Guariglia
Carla
C
Jacinto
Alessandro F
AF
Kato
Eliane Mayumi
EM
Lima
Edson P
EP
Mansur
Letícia
L
Moreira
Daniel
D
Nóbrega
Ana
A
Porto
Claudia Selitto
CS
Senaha
Mirna L H
ML
Silva
Mari-Nilva Maia da
MN
Smid
Jerusa
J
Souza-Talarico
Juliana N
JN
Radanovic
Marcia
M
Nitrini
Ricardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil; D032882:Comprehension; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011932:Reading; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult