Impact of Health Literacy on the Progression of Frailty after 4 Years among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Health literacy (HL) promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors among older adults, and its relationship with frailty remains unclear. This study examined whether HL is a predictor of frailty progression among community-dwelling older adults. Data from two surveys conducted in 2012 and 2016 involving older residents (mean age, 71.6 ± 4.6 years) of Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan were used. Only healthy individuals without frailty and cognitive impairments participated in the 2012 assessment, where the Kihon Checklist (KCL), HL, and other variables were assessed. Logistic and multiple logistic analyses were used to assess the effects of HL and other factors on frailty between the ‘high HL’ vs. ‘low HL’ groups in 2012 and between the ‘robust’ vs. ‘frailty-progressing’ groups in 2016. Of the 621 robust participants, 154 (25.4%) had progression of frailty in 2016, which was significantly associated with advanced age, higher KCL score, lower HL, poor mental health, and lack of social support. Furthermore, low HL was a predictor of frailty progression. Low HL may be associated with frailty progression. The obtained results suggest that increased health literacy should be effective in preventing frailty for community-dwelling older residents.