The relationship between health literacy, health-promoting behaviors, and self-efficacy among the elderly population: A review study

Health literacy is a collection of information and capabilities that enables a person to understand medical information and make informed health decisions. Healthy behaviors significantly affect a person's quality of life. Self-efficacy is one of the individual and behavioral factors that has high predictive power in creating health behaviors. Due to the importance of this issue, this article examines the relationship between health literacy, health-promoting behaviors, and self-efficacy among the elderly population. Elderly individuals with higher health literacy exhibit improved positive health behaviors and a significantly reduced likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors (such as smoking, regular alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise). They are also more likely to undergo regular health examinations. Health literacy has shown a moderate positive effect on self-efficacy. Seniors with high health literacy correctly interpret health information, enabling them to easily adopt positive health behaviors and manage their diseases more effectively. The relationship between health literacy, health-promoting behaviors, and self-efficacy in the elderly is a critical issue that needs more attention. Therefore, community health nurses should organize health education programs on health-promoting lifestyles and health literacy for the elderly to help improve their overall health.

کلیدواژه ها:

Health literacy ، health-promoting behaviors ، self-efficacy ، the elderly