Understanding health literacy in men: a cross-sectional survey

Males have a shorter life expectancy than females. Men are less likely to seek the advice of a health professional or utilise preventive health services and programs. This study seeks to explore health literacy and the characteristics affecting this among Australian men.

Four hundred and thirty-one adult males engaged with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, completed an online cross-sectional survey, undertaken from September - November 2022. The survey tool captured demographic data, health status and lifestyle risk characteristics. Health literacy was measured using the 44-item Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Descriptive statistics, frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, were used to describe the sample. Interferential statistics, including the Mann-Whitney U Test and the Kruskal-Wallis Test, were used to explore differences between demographics and HLQ scales.

For the first 5 scales (4-point Likert scale), the lowest score was seen for 'Appraisal of health information' (Mean 2.81; SD 0.52) and the highest score was seen for 'Feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers ' (Mean 3.08; SD 0.64). For the other 4 scales (5-point Likert scale), the lowest score was seen for 'Navigating the healthcare system' (Mean 3.74; SD 0.69). The highest score was seen for 'Understand health information well enough to know what to do' (Mean 4.10; SD 0.53). Age, income level and living in an urban/rural location were significantly related to health literacy scales.

This study provides new insight into men's health literacy and the factors impacting it. This knowledge can inform future strategies to promote men's engagement with health services and preventive care.