title: Health literacy level of Hispanic college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the health literacy levels of Hispanic college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were students at a major Hispanic-serving university in the southwestern United States. The design was cross-sectional, and data were collected using the Newest Vital Sign in English. Analyses included frequencies and descriptive statistics, simple and multiple logistic regression, and χ(2)/Fisher exact tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 331 students participated. The overall Newest Vital Sign mean score was 5.1 (standard deviation 1.18); more than 90% (n = 299) obtained a score equivalent to an "always adequate literacy." A lower percentage than that found by a national survey scored at the "below adequate literacy" level. Language spoken at home was the only covariate that significantly affected test scores (P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall health literacy level of the participants was higher than the general Hispanic adult population. Investing in the education of Hispanics may help to address disparities in health literacy.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Family & Community Medicine, Linguistics, and Mathematics & Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: Francisco Soto
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Family & Community Medicine, Linguistics, and Mathematics & Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: Holly E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Family & Community Medicine, Linguistics, and Mathematics & Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013334:Students; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult