PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to identify levels of health literacy and reported health behaviors among older adults with cardio-cerebrovascular disease residing in rural areas.
METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 134 older people (mean age=75.5 years, 71.6% Female) registered at seven health centers. The structured questionnaires were used to measure levels of health literacy and health behaviors.
RESULTS
The average functional health literacy score was 6.08±3.04, and the health behavior score was 62.92±6.45. Respectively health behavior was positively associated with health literacy. Education, economic status, number of family members, number of social activities and health literacy were contribution factors explaining 40.64% of the variance in health behavior. Health literacy specifically explained 12.5% of health behavior.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that strategies for improving health behaviors and reducing health inequalities may benefit from adopting a stronger focus on health literacy within prevention, patient education, and other public health interventions. Further longitudinal studies are needed to help confirm that improving health literacy in the elderly may be effective in changing health behaviors.

Citations

• Factors associated with health literacy in older adults aged 65 and over: a secondary data analysis of the 2021 Korea Health Panel applying the Andersen behavioural model
  Yeong Eun Kim, Ol Han, Chang Sun Moon
  BMJ Open.2025; 15(3): e085696.     CrossRef
• Patterns of health literacy and influencing factors differ by age: a cross-sectional study
  Da Hae Kwon, Young Dae Kwon
  BMC Public Health.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Development of a Physical Literacy Instrument for Rural Elderly
  Jin-Yeong Park, Ji-Youn Kim, Ae-Rim Seo, Ki-Soo Park
  Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2024; 49(3): 270.     CrossRef
• The Impacts of Digital Literacy, Attitudes towards Internet Health Information, and e-Health Literacy on Health Promotion Behavior among Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
  HeeJin Shin, JaeHee Jeon
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2023; 35(4): 367.     CrossRef
• Development of a Quality Assessment Tool for Hypertension Management by Public Healthcare Providers: A Cross-Sectional Survey
  Youngshin Song, Kawoun Seo
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2023; 30(4): 437.     CrossRef
• Health Literacy and Anxiety Among Hemodialysis Patients During the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic
  In Ju Yoon, Su Jung Lee
  Psychology Research and Behavior Management.2023; Volume 16: 1051.     CrossRef
• Relationship between Health Literacy and Knowledge, Compliance with Bowel Preparation, and Bowel Cleanliness in Older Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy
  Minju Gwag, Jaeyong Yoo
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(5): 2676.     CrossRef
• Factors Influencing the Self-management Behaviors of the Elderly with Hypertension in the Local Community
  Jeongju Hong
  Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2021; 32(3): 303.     CrossRef
• Factors Affecting Health Behavior of Patients with Stroke: Focusing on Health Literacy of Patients and Family Caregivers
  Jimin Jeong, Jieun Cha
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2020; 32(6): 632.     CrossRef
• Concept Analysis of Health Literacy for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease using Hybrid Model
  Jeong Eun Sim, Seon Young Hwang
  Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2019; 30(4): 494.     CrossRef
• Relationship between Uncertainty in Illness, Subjective Health Status, and Compliance with Sick Role Behavior according to Levels of Health Literacy in Hemodialysis Patients
  Young-Mun Cho, Yon-Hee Seo, Mee-Jeong Park
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PURPOSE
To compare the health promoting behavior in rural elderly people by complementary alternative medicine(CAM) utilization.
METHODS
The data were collected from March 06th to May 26th, 2006. The participants were 207 rural elderly persons in Korea. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed with the SAS win 8.0 program.
RESULTS
The rate of using CAM was 60.9%. Non-religious, perceived poor health and high concerns about health group used it more. The most common type was oriental medicine(35.7%), the most common motive was body protection(21.2%) and major source of information was other patients(35.9%). Almost all the subjects(90%) were satisfied with using CAM. The average score for the health promoting behavior was 2.67+/-.32(range 1.65-3.71). The average scores for each subscale were, personal communication 2.98, self-actualization 2.79, nutrition 2.78, health responsibility 2.58, exercise 2.40, stress management 2.38. Significant differences in health promoting behavior were found according to CAM utilization: personal communication ,self actualization.
CONCLUSION
There were differences health promoting behavior between the elderly CAM utilization: Systemic guidelines of CAM use are needed.

PURPOSE
This study was to identify factors that influence the life satisfaction of solitude elderly. METHOD: The subject were 100 homebound the elderly living alone(age=76.58) who were live in M city located in Jeollanamdo. Data were collected from June 1 to September 30, 2002. The instrument used for this study were a survey of general characteristics, residential environment, MUNSH, Health Self-rating scale, ADL, loneliness and POMS. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and stepwise Multiple Regression. RESULT: In general the perceived health status was poor, but ADL was moderate., loneliness was high but mood and life satisfaction were low. In regression analysis, life satisfaction was significantly influenced by mood(51%), ADL(4%), loneliness(3%), and perceived health status(1%). These variables explained 59% of the variances in the life satisfaction.CONCLUSION: The result suggests that health care professionals should give more attention to helping the elderly raise their life-satisfaction. A further study is necessary to find out an effective nursing intervention for a better those in a comfortable residential environment, decreasing the loneliness and to promoting the mood for those elderly who live alone.

This study was the done to describe health behavior and determine affecting factors in middle aged women. The subjects of this study were 306 middle aged women, living in M city, during the period from June 28th to August. 31st 1999. The instruments for this study were Health Behavior Assesment tool developed by Kim (1998), Self esteem scale developed by Rosenberg(1965), the perceived health status scale by Lawston, et al.(1982), the Quality of life by Ro(1988), the attitude toward Climacteric symptom by Ji(1983). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. The result of this study are as follows; 1. The total mean score for Health behavior was 2.51(range 1-4). The mean scores on the subscale were 2.83 for nutrition, 2.81 for stress management, 2.71 for limitation of liking in the menstrual group, health behavior was 2.64. The mean scores on the subscale were 2.98 for nutrition, 2.85 for stress management, 2.82 for limitation of liking, 2.80 for energy conservation in the menopausal group, 2. The mean scores for cognitive-perceptual variables in the menstrual group were perception of health status: 2.61, quality of life: 3.17, self-esteem: 2.59, and attitude for climacteric symptom: 3.02. In the menopausal group the scores were perception of health status: 2.41, quality of life: 3.10, self-esteem: 2.62, attitude for climacteric symptom: 3.06. 3. Health behavior and self-esteem(r=.269, p=.000; r=.205, p=.042), attitude for climacteric symptom(r=.192, p=.005; r=.545, p=.000), quality of life(r=.385, p=.000; r= .195, p=.050) and health behavior were correlated positively, and the perception of health status and health behavior were correlated negatively(r=.-135, p=.050; r= -.207, p=.040 ) in the menstrual group and menopausal group. 4. Perception of health status, quality of life, age, self-esteem, job and marital status explained 33.7% of the variance for health behavior in the menstrual group; self-esteem and education explained 33.1% of the variance for health behavior in the menopausal group. In conclusion, health behavior should be considered when developing nursing strategies for middle-aged women, especially when dealing with perception of health status, quality of life, and self-esteem.