Exploring Health Literacy Heterogeneity in Prehypertension: Tailored Intervention Strategies Based on Latent Profile...

Prehypertension (PHT) is a critical precursor to hypertension, increasing the risks of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure, and contributing to vascular and renal complications.

Our aim was to describe health literacy variability in individuals with PHT.

We assessed 340 patients with PHT from a tertiary hospital in Nanning, China, using validated instruments to measure health literacy, psychological capital, and health-related behaviors.

Latent profile analysis was used to identify 3 health literacy profiles: low, moderate, and high. Key determinants included socioeconomic status, lifestyle behaviors, and psychological capital. Individuals with low health literacy exhibited cognitive barriers and low motivation, highlighting the need for personalized educational and psychological interventions. Moderate-literacy individuals showed potential for improvement through enhanced communication and engagement strategies. Those with high literacy demonstrated strong self-management and community advocacy capabilities.

These results suggest targets for development of stratified, tailored interventions to bridge health literacy gaps that could reduce progression from PHT to hypertension. Future researchers should explore these profiles in diverse populations and evaluate the long-term effects of targeted interventions.