title: The Health Literacy Status and Influencing Factors of Older Population in Xinjiang.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was to investigate the health literacy and influencing factors of older population in pension institution of Xinjiang, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elderly people were selected from 44 pension institutions in Urumqi, Changji, Karamay and Shihezi and from September 2011 to June 2012 using random layer sampling method. The investigation was carried out by Chinese citizen health literacy questionnaire prepared by the China Health Education Center. Data were analyzed by Oneway ANOVA, multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1396 elderly people met the inclusion criteria and their average age was (77.37 ± 8.48) years. Their average health literacy score was (77.37 ± 8.48) points, which was at a low level. There was significant difference in health literacy score among the factors of age, gender, race, education, household income, marital status and occupation (P<0.05). The independent influencing factors of health literacy were education, race, occupation, household income, age and marital status (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis was conducted between the scores of health knowledge, health belief, health behavior, health skill and total scores of health literacy. Health knowledge scores and total scores had highest correlation (r=0.95), followed by health belief scores and total scores (r=0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correlation between health behavior scores and health skill scores was the lowest (r=0.33). The major factors that lead to low health literacy in elderly people are femininity, minority and low levels of education.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Yongbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Yanru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Social Welfare and Social Affairs Office, Urumchi Civil Affairs Bureau, Xinjiang China.
authors.forename: Qingquan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chu
keywords: Health literacy; Influencing factors; Pension institution; Status