# Association between frailty status and health literacy in the elderly

## TL;DR

This study finds that frailty in the elderly is linked to lower health literacy, suggesting targeted education could help improve health understanding.

## Contribution

The study identifies a dose-response relationship between frailty and health literacy in the elderly.

## Key findings

- Frailty prevalence was 23.2% among the elderly participants.
- Health literacy decreased linearly with increasing frailty.
- Educational level, frailty status, daily activity, and medical insurance type influence health literacy.

## Abstract

To analyze the association between frailty status and health literacy in the elderly, and identify the influencing factors of health literacy the elderly. Provide a basis for enhancing the health literacy of elderly patients.

Relevant data, including general information, frailty status and health literacy level, were collected using the convenience sampling method from 185 elderly people attending inpatient or outpatient clinics in a Grade-III Class-A hospital in Beijing.

Among the elderly people, the prevalence of frailty was 23.2%, and the overall health literacy was at a high level, with a rate of health literacy possession of 84.9%. Results of analysis of variance and trend test revealed a linear relationship between frailty status and health literacy, i.e., health literacy level of the elderly became lower as the degree of frailty increased. It was found by multivariate linear regression analysis that the educational level, frailty status, daily activity and type of medical insurance were independent influencing factors for of health literacy (P<0.05).

The health literacy level varies among the elderly with different frailty status,. Health literacy and frailty has s dose-response relationship. and t Frailty is an independent influencing factor of health literacy. Targeted education can be given based on different characteristics of the elderly to raise their health literacy level.