Unravelling misinformation: investigating the associations between health literacy and resilience

Abstract Background Resilience, the capacity to adapt to adversity, encompasses navigating challenges in health information. Despite the profound impact of health misinformation on behavior and trust in healthcare systems, effective tools to enhance resilience against misinformation remain scarce. Health literacy (HL) is pivotal for adeptly navigating information landscapes. While HL principles facilitate critical evaluation of health information, their link to resilience against misinformation has received inadequate attention. This study delves into the associations between HL and resilience to misinformation. Methods Within the BeE-school project, a randomized controlled trial in primary schools serving vulnerable populations, we developed a questionnaire to assess parental resilience to misinformation. Two dimensions were examined: self-regulation regarding misinformation and stress resistance to misinformation, stratified into low and high resilience categories. Parental HL was evaluated using the HLS-Q12 tool. General HL and three specific domains-health promotion, disease prevention, and healthcare management-were assessed. HL scores ranged from 0 to 100. Binary regression analyses examined the association between HL and resilience to misinformation. Results Parents with higher HL levels demonstrated significantly greater resilience to misinformation, with odds ratios ranging from 1.039 to 1.049 across different HL dimensions. These associations persisted after adjusting for potential confounders, including parental education and respondent sex. Conclusions This study highlights the potential role of health literacy in enhancing individuals’ resilience to misinformation. By promoting HL, individuals can develop critical thinking abilities necessary for navigating complex information landscapes effectively. Empowering communities to critically assess health information fosters resilience to misinformation and informed decision-making, thereby advancing public health.