Longitudinal effect of electronic health literacy on health-promoting lifestyles among Chinese older adults: A three-wave longitudinal study

10.30207/AHLA.202312.0044

Luyao Xie；Phoenix K.H. Mo

chronic disease ； eHealth literacy ； health-promoting lifestyles ； longitudinal study ； older adults

The Proceeding of the 9th AHLA International Health Literacy Conference: Health Literacy and Social Resilience

2023（2023 / 12 / 01）

46 - 46

英文

Background: The importance of electronic health (eHealth) literacy has been increasingly emphasized in self-care, especially for older adults, who are the major users of healthcare services. Health-promoting lifestyles can play an important role in improving and maintaining health, however, its relationship with eHealth literacy remains unclear among older adults. Objectives: This study aims to examine the effect of eHealth literacy on health-promoting lifestyles among Chinese older adults and the potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal survey was conducted among older adults in Jiangxi Province, China, from February to November 2022. Data were collected at baseline (T1), 3-month (T2), and 6-month follow-up (T3) by online self-reported questionnaires. Results: A total of 464 participants completed the three-wave surveys. The multivariate linear mixed model suggested that eHealth literacy was positively associated with health-promoting lifestyles (adjusted β = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.27~0.35, p<.001), after adjusting for covariates (i.e., time effect and significant background variables) and the random effect caused by repeated measures. Results of cross-lagged panel models supported that eHealth literacy predicted subsequent better health-promoting lifestyles (standardized β = 0.14, p<.001), while the paths from health lifestyles (T1/T2) to subsequent eHealth literacy (T2/T3) were non-significant. In addition, attitude towards eHealth would partially mediate the relationship between eHealth literacy (T1) and health-promoting lifestyles (T3) (Indirect effect and 95% CI: 0.02 (0.00~0.04), p =.02, mediated proportion 16.3%). In multi-group analyses, higher eHealth literacy predicted better health-promoting lifestyles in chronic patients while not in healthy older adults (standardized β: 0.15 (p =.001) vs 0.02 (p = .67)), and the indirect effect through attitude towards eHealth was also significant in patients while not in healthy older adults. Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of eHealth literacy and attitude towards eHealth in improving health-promoting lifestyles among Chinese older adults, especially in those with chronic diseases.