Abstract
Background. Socioeconomic status is a strong correlate of health status. Low literacy is associated with barriers to health information and anxiety about disease. Methods. Using 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey data, the relationship between self-reported health status and proxy measures of literacy (Hispanic ethnicity, education, and media variables), cancer anxiety, and cancer information seeking were assessed. Results. Low literacy, measured by proxy variables, was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting fair-poor health status. Reporting excellent-good health status was less likely for people reporting frustration finding cancer information (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.89), worry about cancer (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), and increased chance of getting cancer (OR 3.5, 95% CI 0.24-0.51). Conclusion. Proxy variables for literacy suggest a possible contribution to health status disparities.
Notes
Supported in part by The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.