Health literacy, multimorbidity and its effect on mental health in South African adults: a repeated cross-sectional...

Health literacy is a key determinant of physical and mental health outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income settings like South Africa, where multimorbidity is increasingly common. Limited health literacy may hinder effective management of multiple chronic conditions and worsen mental health. Using repeated cross-sectional nationally representative data, this study examined the relationship between health literacy and multimorbidity, with a specific focus on mental health among South African adults (18 years and older).

Most respondents had minimal depression risk, with 21.7% showing probable depression, lower than the 25.7 and 26.2% in Panels 1 (2021) and 2 (2022) respectively. In efforts to further corroborate the odds of having mental or physical health risk with higher levels of ACE exposure, our results confirmed the increased likelihood of depression, anxiety and multimorbidity with increased odds of early adversity, irrespective of differing socio-demographics. The results further revealed that socioeconomic status directly influenced depression, which was partially mediated via health literacy. Additionally, the association between socioeconomic status and multimorbidity was fully mediated by ACE exposure and depression.

One in five South Africans experience depressive symptoms, with notable regional differences. Childhood adversity contributes to increased mental health risk and higher multimorbidity. Health literacy was found to influence the link between socioeconomic status and depression, suggesting that lower literacy increases vulnerability. These findings therefore emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address childhood adversity, improve health literacy, and enhance mental health resources across South Africa.