Infectious disease-specific health literacy and its influencing factors: Research results based on a cross-sectional design study carried out in Shandong Province’s rural areas

Rural residents face a higher risk of infectious diseases, and infectious disease-specific health literacy (IDSHL) is a crucial means of managing these risks. This study intended to survey the levels of IDSHL among rural residents in Shandong Province, China, and explore the influencing factors of IDSHL. In 2022, a cross-sectional design investigation was carried out in Shandong Province of China, involving 2283 participants recruited through a multistage sampling approach in rural regions. A cognitive questionnaire was used to assess participants' levels of IDSHL. Pearson χ2 test was performed to compare the differences in the distribution of categorical variables between the adequate and inadequate IDSHL groups. Multicollinearity diagnosis analysis was utilized to evaluate multicollinearity. Multiple logistic regression was used to detect the possible influencing factors of IDSHL. Among the participants, 31.80% had adequate IDSHL. Multiple logistic regression demonstrated that education (odds ratio (OR)junior high school = .71, 95% confidence interval (CI) of OR: 0.51-0.99, P = .04; ORuniversity or above = 2.62, 95% CI of OR: 1.67-4.11, P < .01), occupation (ORbusiness = 2.19, 95% CI of OR: 1.34-3.57, P < .01; ORothers = 1.46, 95% CI of OR: 1.02-2.10, P = .04), family income (OR1-3 10,000 RMB = 2.83, 95% CI of OR: 1.98-4.05, P < .01; OR3-6 10,000 RMB = 1.75, 95% CI of OR: 1.21-2.53, P < .01), "whether the participant used a smartphone in daily life" (OR = 2.02, 95% CI of OR: 1.32-3.09, P < .01) and "whether knowledge of infectious disease prevention and control could be acquired" (OR = 11.77, 95% CI of OR: 6.44-21.54, P < .01) were associated with adequate IDSHL. The rural residents' level of adequate IDSHL in China's Shandong Province, was unsatisfactory. Special health education is needed to be implemented to enhance rural residents' IDSHL and should target key populations with low levels of IDSHL.