Literacy and cancer anxiety as predictors of health status: an exploratory study.
BACKGROUND
Socioeconomic status is a strong correlate of health status. Low literacy is associated with barriers to health information and anxiety about disease.


METHODS
Using 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey data, the relationship between self-reported health status and proxy measures of literacy (Hispanic ethnicity, education, and media variables), cancer anxiety, and cancer information seeking were assessed.


RESULTS
Low literacy, measured by proxy variables, was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting fair-poor health status. Reporting excellent-good health status was less likely for people reporting frustration finding cancer information (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.89), worry about cancer (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), and increased chance of getting cancer (OR 3.5, 95% CI 0.24-0.51).


CONCLUSIONS
Proxy variables for literacy suggest a possible contribution to health status disparities.
Hoffman-Goetz
L
L
Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. lhgoetz@uwaterloo.ca
Meissner
H I
HI
Thomson
M D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult