Inadequate health literacy and higher healthcare utilisation among older adults in Switzerland: cross-sectional evidence from a population-based study

This study finds that lower health literacy is associated with higher healthcare utilisation for older adults in Switzerland. The findings may suggest that general practitioners could have a significant role as advisors for individuals with low levels of health literacy, while a similar pattern is not observed for specialists. This discrepancy might be attributed, at least in part, to the role of general practitioners as intermediaries between patients and specialised care providers. Ensuring accessibility to general practitioners, particularly for individuals with low health literacy, could prove to be a beneficial strategy in addressing the healthcare requirements of this particularly vulnerable patient group. Additionally, improving health literacy in the population may provide further health benefits and lead to resource savings.