title: Health literacy and barriers to health information seeking: A nationwide survey in South Korea.
abstract: To identify the level of health literacy and barriers to information seeking and to explore the predictors of health literacy.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. A total of 1000 Korean adults were recruited through proportional quota sampling. Health literacy, barriers to health information seeking, sociodemographics, and health-related characteristics were surveyed. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were performed for data analysis.
  
  
  
  About 61% of participants were classified as inadequately health literate. "No health fairs/activities near home" was the most frequently reported barrier. Older age, lower education, living in the capital city, barriers regarding how to get information and access to expensive books and magazines were predictors of inadequate health literacy.
  
  
  
  Strategies for improving health literacy and reducing barriers to health information seeking should be designed. Education on how to access health-related information with easily accessible sources either free or inexpensive could be a way to help adults with limited health literacy.
  
  
  
  Health care professionals should assess clients' health literacy levels, particularly amongst those who are older or have less education. They should provide clients with information on how to access credible and readily available sources of health-related information, considering their health literacy level.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Chonbuk Research Institute of Nursing Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: awesomeprof@jbnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seok Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Chonbuk Research Institute of Nursing Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimhk@jbnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adult; Health literacy; Information seeking behavior; Republic of Korea