Michael S. Wolf|Laura M. Curtis|Elizabeth A. Wilson|William Revelle|Katherine Waite|Samuel G. Smith|Sandra We?ntraub|Beth Borosh|David N. Rapp|Denise C. Park|Ian J. Deary|David W. Baker
Literacy, Cognitive Function, and Health: Results of the LitCog Study
Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|University College London|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|The University of Texas at Dallas|University of Edinburgh|Northwestern University
emerging evidence suggests relationship health literacy health outcomes could explained cognitive abilities investigate degree cognitive skills explain associations health literacy performance common health tasks functional health status two facetoface structured interviews spaced week apart three health literacy assessments comprehensive cognitive battery measuring fluid abilities necessary learn apply new information crystallized abilities background knowledge academic general internal medicine practice three federally qualified health centers chicago illinois eight hundred eightytwo englishspeaking adults ages 55 74 health literacy measured using rapid estimate adult literacy medicine realm test functional health literacy adults tofhla newest vital sign nvs performance common health tasks globally assessed categorized 1 comprehending print information 2 recalling spoken information 3 recalling multimedia information 4 dosing organizing medication 5 healthcare problemsolving health literacy measures strongly correlated fluid crystallized cognitive abilities range r 057 077 p 0001 lower health literacy weaker fluid crystallized abilities associated poorer performance healthcare tasks multivariable analyses association health literacy task performance substantially reduced fluid crystallized cognitive abilities entered models without cognitive abilities 289 95 confidence interval ci 314 264 p cognitive abilities 85 95 ci 109 60 crosssectional analyses englishspeaking older adults common measures used health literacy studies detecting individual differences cognitive abilities may predict ones capacity engage selfcare achieve desirable health outcomes future interventions respond cognitive demands patients face managing health beyond reading numeracy