Health Literacy and Health Promotion Behaviors among Samoans

Limited health literacy is associated with failure to engage in health promotion behaviors. Few studies examine this relationship among Samoans. This study used a cross-sectional correlational design to determine health literacy levels and their relationship to health promoting behaviors in a southern California Samoan population. Health literacy (Short form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults) and health promotion behaviors (Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile II) were measured in a convenience sample of 87 Samoans in southern California. Data analysis employed chi-square, t-test, and one- way ANOVA. Significant associations were found for health literacy and demographic characteristics of employment and marital status. Significant relationships were found for the demographic characteristics of age on spiritual growth, marital status on physical activity, and education on overall health promotion, nutrition, spiritual growth, and interpersonal relations subscale scores. There was a significant relationship between health literacy and the health promotion subscales for physical activity and interpersonal relations. Most participants were under age 65 and exhibited adequate health literacy. Further research is needed to examine the relationship of health literacy to health promotion in the older Samoan population.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD Nursing

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation: Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Tong, Katherine, PhD, MSN, CFNP, PHN

• health literacy
• health promotion behaviors
• nursing
• Samoans
• southern California

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/428

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.sandiego.edu:dissertations-1431