Health literacy and associated factors in adult Korean women: a correlational study using the 2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data

PURPOSE: This study examined health literacy and identified factors associated with health literacy among adult women. METHODS: This correlational study was based on a secondary analysis of data from the 2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The study sample included 3,333 women aged 19 years or older. Data were analyzed using complex sample design procedures in SPSS ver. 20.1. RESULTS: The mean health literacy score was 30.25 out of 40, indicating moderate health literacy. Scores were relatively low for items assessing the ability to evaluate the reliability of health information obtained from the internet or media and to use such information for health-related decision-making. Overall, 32.2% of adult women demonstrated an excellent level of health literacy. Lower education levels (≤elementary school: B=-4.31, p<.001; middle school: B=-2.17, p<.001; high school: B=-0.84, p<.001), longer weekday sleep duration (≥9 hours: B=-1.54, p=.003), poorer perceived health (bad: B=-1.49, p<.001; ordinary: B=-0.82, p<.001), older age (≥65 years: B=-1.43, p=.001; 45-64 years: B=-0.64, p=.048), shorter weekend sleep duration (≤6 hours: B=-0.83, p=.003), and not engaging in muscle-strengthening activities (B=-0.67, p=.004) were associated with lower health literacy among adult women. CONCLUSION: Interventions are needed to improve health literacy among adult Korean women, particularly among older women, those with lower education levels, and those with poorer perceived health. These interventions should also consider health behaviors such as muscle-strengthening activity and sleep duration. Further research is needed to examine the relationship between women's health literacy and health behaviors, including exercise and sleep duration.