title: Health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among multiethnic groups of women in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the current status of health literacy and the relationship between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among multiethnic groups of women in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit study participants. Data were collected using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited community female adults who lived in greater Taipei or Taoyuan areas (northern Taiwan) from January 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 378 female participants were contacted, of which 351 consented to participate and 347 completed valid questionnaires for analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health literacy was measured with the Taiwan Health Literacy Scale, and health-promoting behaviors were measured by the Chinese version of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a moderate level of health literacy, and one third of them had inadequate health literacy. Participants with inadequate health literacy were more likely to be younger, not a high school graduate, and Vietnamese; to have a low monthly family income and no diagnosed diseases; to use a second language; and to regard TV/radio as the most useful source of health information. Health literacy alone could significantly predict health-promoting behaviors among the participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings confirmed that low health literacy is prevalent among underprivileged women in Taiwan. Health-related programs that are literacy sensitive and culturally appropriate are needed to teach and encourage health-promoting behaviors.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ching-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shu-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yung-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hsiu-Hung
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Taiwan; health literacy; health-promoting behaviors; multiethnic women