Health Literacy among People in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Associations with Participation and Health-Related Quality of Life in the Heart Skills Study in Denmark
1
Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
2
DEFACTUM, Central Denmark Region, Olof Palmes Allé 15, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
3
Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Niels Steensens vej 2, 2820 Gentofte, Denmark
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(2), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020443
Received: 17 December 2019 / Revised: 3 January 2020 / Accepted: 6 January 2020 / Published: 9 January 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Literacy and Equity – Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Recent Trends in Health Literacy Research and Action around the World)
Health literacy (HL) is a dynamic determinant of health and a promising target of health equity interventions in noncommunicable disease prevention. Among people referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program, we examined the associations between (1) HL and participation in cardiac rehabilitation and (2) HL and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Using a cross-sectional design, we invited 193 people referred to cardiac rehabilitation in Randers Municipal Rehabilitation Unit, Denmark, to respond to a questionnaire in 2017. Of these, 150 people responded (77.7%). HL was measured using the nine scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), while HRQoL was measured using the Short Form Health Survey 12 (version 2) (SF-12). The mean age of respondents was 67.0 years; 71.3% of the sample were men. Nonrespondents had significantly lower educational attainment and more often lived alone than respondents. Using multiple regression analyses, we found no significant associations between HL and participation in cardiac rehabilitation. There were significant positive associations between several aspects of HL and physical and mental HRQoL. HL could be a factor of interest in initiatives aimed at improving participation and outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation.
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Keywords:
health literacy; cardiac rehabilitation; cardiac disease; rehabilitation participation; health-related quality of life; physical health status; mental health status; health equity
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MDPI and ACS Style
Aaby, A.; Friis, K.; Christensen, B.; Maindal, H.T. Health Literacy among People in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Associations with Participation and Health-Related Quality of Life in the Heart Skills Study in Denmark. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 443.
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