Factors associated with functional health literacy in old people undergoing pre-dialysis treatment

Abstract Objective To evaluate the factors associated with functional health literacy in the elderly undergoing pre-dialysis treatment. Method This is a cross-sectional study, carried out with 60 elderly people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and assisted in the conservative treatment outpatient clinic of a public hospital in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected using the instrument of Test of Health Literacy in Adults, an abbreviated version and a structured questionnaire, which were subsequently analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result Functional health literacy was insufficient 43(71.7%) and was associated with lower education (p-value=0.000) and non-white race (p-value=0.040). Conclusion The educational level and race are factors that interfere in functional health literacy, serving as subsidies for the elaboration of educational actions adjusted to the reality of this public.