Self-Care and Medical Treatment-Seeking Behaviors of Older Adults in Rural Areas of Taiwan: Coping With Low Literacy.

IF 1.3 Q2 Social Sciences International Quarterly of Community Health Education Pub Date : 2020-10-01 Epub Date: 2020-02-27 DOI:10.1177/0272684X20908846

Stephanie Yu-Ching Chen

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

This study focused on ascertaining the effects of low literacy on the self-care and medical treatment-seeking behaviors of older adults. A qualitative research method was adopted in this study wherein a semistructured questionnaire was used to conduct one-on-one interviews with 35 older adults with a primary school education or less who lived in rural areas of Taiwan. The results indicated that low literacy was an evident limitation to their range of activities, and the assistance of family members was required for medical treatment seeking and medication administration. The low self-esteem attributable to low literacy had a negative influence on doctor–patient communication. Older adults had a lower awareness of illnesses and their severity, and this insufficient health literacy resulted in delayed medical treatment. In addition, older adults rarely took the initiative to receive preventive services. This study suggests integrating literacy and health education program for older adults with low literacy.

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台湾农村老年人自我照顾与求医行为:低识字率之应对。

本研究旨在探讨低文化水平对老年人自我照顾及求医行为的影响。本研究采用质性研究方法，采用半结构式问卷，对35名台湾农村地区小学及以下文化程度的老年人进行一对一访谈。结果表明，识字率低明显限制了他们的活动范围，在寻求医疗和药物管理方面需要家庭成员的帮助。文化程度低导致的低自尊对医患沟通有负面影响。老年人对疾病及其严重程度的认识较低，卫生知识不足导致医疗延误。此外，老年人很少主动接受预防服务。本研究建议将识字与健康教育相结合，为识字水平较低的老年人提供教育。

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International Quarterly of Community Health Education PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

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期刊介绍： The International Quarterly of Community Health Education is committed to publishing applied research, policy and case studies dealing with community health education and its relationship to social change. Since 1981, this rigorously peer-referred Journal has contained a wide selection of material in readable style and format by contributors who are not only authorities in their field, but can also write with vigor, clarity, and occasionally with humor. Since its introduction the Journal has considered all manuscripts, especially encouraging stimulating articles which manage to combine maximum readability with scholarly standards.