Investigating the Relationship Between Health Literacy and Self-Care Behaviors to Prevent COVID-19 in the Elderly of Siahkal City, 2022

Background: Health literacy is a key factor influencing self-care behavior. Given their vulnerability to underlying diseases, the elderly are among the high-risk groups, so this research was conducted to investigate the relationship between health literacy and self-care behaviors in the elderly. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 328 elderly citizens of Siahkal city selected by proportional stratified sampling. The data collection tools were Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) and Self-care Questionnaire. For data analysis, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation were employed using SPSS23 statistical software. Results: The results of descriptive statistics showed that the health literacy score of the elderly was 67.77±6.86, and their self-care score was 71.19±6.64. The Pearson correlation coefficient test results showed a significant relationship between health literacy and self-care behaviors (P≤0.05). Conclusion: The study found a significant relationship between health literacy in elderly people and their self-care behaviors. Thus, health policymakers and those in charge of education, especially in public health and health promotion, must promote healthy behaviors among the elderly to ensure their health and well-being, particularly during pandemics like COVID-19.