René Mõttus|Wendy Johnson|Catherine Murray|Michael S. Wolf|John M. Starr|Ian J. Deary
Towards understanding the links between health literacy and physical health.
Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience|University of Edinburgh|Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience|University of Edinburgh|University of Edinburgh|Northwestern University|Western General Hospital|Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience|University of Edinburgh
low health literacy predicts poor health underpinnings associations yet understood study tested associations health literacy three objective health outcomes older people investigated extent general healthrelated cognition earlier lifecourse factors childhood cognitive ability educational level occupational class accounted associationsparticipants 730 communitydwelling older people 350 women mean age 7250 years sd 071 physical fitness defined walk time lung function grip strength body mass index count natural teeth used health outcomes rapid estimate adult literacy medicine realm shortened test functional health literacy adults stofhla newest vital sign nvs used measure health literacy age 11 concurrent general cognitive ability educational level occupational social class used covariateslower realm stofhla nvs scores associated worse scores health outcomes 09 17 however cognitive ability old age childhood educational occupational levels accounted majority associations adjusting covariates physical fitness significantly associated realm stofhla 06 11low health literacy associated poorer health largely reflected general cognitive ability educational andor occupational levels variables plays role health beyond association reading numeracy skills captured common health literacy measures