Emily Smith?Greenaway
Are literacy skills associated with young adults' health in Africa? Evidence from Malawi
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
study investigates whether literacy skills distinct dimension education influences young adults health southeast african context malawi uses new data tsogolo la thanzi study young adults southern malawi achieve three aims first descriptive demonstrate direct assessment measuring literacy populationbased survey show captures variability skills among young adults including comparable levels educational attainment second aim identify whether literacy influences young adults health net educational attainment confounding factors multivariate analyses reveal literacy associated two measures physical health selfrated health prolonged sickness literacy key determinant health third aim provide insight measure commonly used indirect approaches estimating literacy eg based educational attainment selfreports accurately capture prevalence relationship health second set analyses bivariate results show whether extent indirect measures literacy overestimate literacys prevalence multivariate models assess whether indirect estimates literacy capture relationship health findings support future efforts incorporate literacy assessments population surveys accurately estimate literacys prevalence health benefits particularly contexts like malawi access highquality schools remains limited