title: Performance of a Brazilian population on the test of functional health literacy in adults.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. carthery@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Carthery-Goulart
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anghinah
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Areza-Fegyveres
authors.forename: Valeria Santoro
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Bahia
authors.forename: Sonia Maria Dozzi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brucki
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damin
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Formigoni
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frota
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guariglia
authors.forename: Alessandro F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jacinto
authors.forename: Eliane Mayumi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Edson P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Letícia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
authors.forename: Claudia Selitto
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Porto
authors.forename: Mirna L H
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Senaha
authors.forename: Mari-Nilva Maia da
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Jerusa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smid
authors.forename: Juliana N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Souza-Talarico
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radanovic
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nitrini
mesh_terms: 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