Date of Award

Spring 5-5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

Self-Determined Majors

First Advisor

Catherine Berheide

Second Advisor

Xiaoshuo Hou

Third Advisor

Crystal Moore

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the strengths and limitations of health literacy skills among older adults. The results informed a resource to improve any discovered gaps in health literacy. Participants (n=50) were selected through convenience sampling methods at the Saratoga Senior Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) was distributed to evaluate health literacy skills among older adults. Measures of means and standard deviations were used to assess strengths and limitations in health literacy skills among nine domains of the HLQ. The results informed the implementation of a resource designed to increase health literacy specifically for members of the Saratoga Senior Center to access and effectively use health information The elements of health literacy that received the lowest scores among this sample were the scales correlated with finding and using health information. Participants scored the highest on feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers. Scales associated with finding information to manage one's healthcare were found to be the most challenging for older adults in this study. The results reveal that older adults would benefit from additional instructional programs to enhance health literacy skills. The implementation of the resource created in response to the findings of this study has the potential to improve health literacy. Future research should replicate this study with a larger sample size and collect more varied demographic information. Follow-up studies should measure the effectiveness of interventions on health literacy levels among older adults.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Download

Share

COinS