Pharmacy Practice Faculty Publications
Relationships Between Health Literacy and Heart Failure Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Self-care Adherence
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2014
Journal Title
Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
ISSN
1934-8150
Volume
10
Issue
2
First Page
378
Last Page
386
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.07.001
PubMed ID
23953756
PubMed Central® ID
PMC3923851
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It has been argued that only 12% of adults have the necessary health literacy to manage their health care effectively, which can lead to difficulties in self-care activities, such as medication adherence. Prior research suggests that health literacy may influence knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care, but this has not been fully examined.
OBJECTIVE: To test a model to explain the relationships between health literacy, heart failure knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-care.
METHODS: Prior to receiving clinic-based education, newly referred patients to 3 heart failure clinics completed assessments of health literacy, heart failure knowledge, self-efficacy, self-care, and demographics. Structural equation modeling was completed to examine the strength of the inter-variable relationships.
RESULTS: Of 81 participants recruited, data from 63 patients were complete. Health literacy was independently associated with knowledge (P < 0.001). Health literacy was not related to self-care. Self-efficacy was independently-associated with self-care adherence (P = 0.016). No other relationships were statistically significant. The model had good fit (comparative fit index = 1.000) and explained 33.6% of the variance in knowledge and 27.6% in self-care.
CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy influences knowledge about heart failure but not self-care adherence. Instead, self-efficacy influenced self-care adherence. Future research should incorporate additional factors that may better model the relationships between health literacy, knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-care.
Keywords
Health literacy, heart failure, heart failure knowledge, self-care, self-efficacy, aged, educational status, female, health knowledge, attitudes, practice, humans, male, middle aged, models, theoretical, patient compliance
Recommended Citation
Chen, Aleda M.H.; Yehle, Karen S.; Albert, Nancy M.; Ferraro, Kenneth F.; Mason, Holly L.; Murawski, Matthew M.; and Plake, Kimberly S., "Relationships Between Health Literacy and Heart Failure Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Self-care Adherence" (2014). Pharmacy Practice Faculty Publications. 107.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/pharmacy_practice_publications/107
