title: Community understanding of the preventability of major health conditions as a measure of health literacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine health literacy in a rural community by measuring the understanding of the preventable nature of six major health conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional population survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  New housing areas of Strathfieldsaye, Victoria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 197 adults aged 18 years or older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perceived preventability of skin cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, high blood pressure, heart attack and diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin cancer was the only condition which most people perceived as being all or mostly preventable (50.3%). Lung cancer was perceived to be all or mostly preventable by 35.5% of respondents, high blood pressure by 34.0%, cervical cancer by 27.4%, diabetes by 25.4% and heart attack by only 14.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that there is a lack of understanding of the preventability of these health conditions. Efforts need to be directed towards improving the public's knowledge of disease prevention and to ensure that health promotion programs reach populations with the most need.
authors: School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. karen.moore@monash.edu
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Moore
authors: Ben J
authors: BJ
authors: Smith
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Reilly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult