The importance of literacy for rural seniors in the Republic of Korea: An investigation of its effect on social inclusion and mental health

Abstract

This study examined the association between literacy and quality of life among rural seniors in the Republic of Korea. A sample of rural seniors (N = 1,000) was surveyed by the Korea Rural Economic Institute in 2018, which assessed their literacy levels, their lifelong literacy education status and their quality of life. The authors’ analyses of the data collected in this survey reveal that higher literacy levels are positively associated with a greater likelihood of social inclusion and better mental health status among rural seniors. Furthermore, seniors with functional literacy demonstrated a higher probability of being included in the rural community compared to those with only basic literacy. Lastly, lifelong literacy education was found to play a crucial role in enhancing the literacy levels of rural seniors. As a policy recommendation, the authors suggest that local governments expand literacy education programmes to more rural areas of South Korea.