Cross-sectional analysis of sociodemographic factors associated with self-reported and knowledge-based health literacy in Korea using data from KNHANES 2023

Health literacy is a key factor influencing treatment adherence and outcomes. This study analyzed the 2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to explore the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic factors and health literacy. We examined associations between factors such as age, gender, residential region, education, and income with health literacy, which consisted of 10 questions and 1 knowledge assessment. Multiple linear regression was applied to the sum of health literacy scores, and multivariate ordinal regression was used for the knowledge assessment. A total of 5,713 participants were analyzed. Results showed that age ≥ 65 years negatively affected health literacy scores (- 1.01), while females had a positive effect (0.93), though elderly females had a negative impact (- 1.60). Higher education and income were positively associated with health literacy, with education showing the greatest effect (3.42). Elderly individuals and education levels had the strongest negative and positive effects, respectively, in the Technology and Resources domain. In conclusion, older age, lower education, and lower income were linked to lower health literacy, with gender's impact varying by age group, especially in digital health literacy.