Objective : This study aimed to develop a Korean version of the HLS-EU-Q47 that deals with the concept of health literacy based on the understanding, apply/use, process/appraisal, and access/obtain to health information. The purpose of this study is to confirm the level of comprehensive health literacy of the elderly in Korea using this tool.
Methods : After going through the Korean interpretation process of HLS-EU-Q47, the items were confirmed through content validity verification by experts. The completed Korean–HLS-EU-Q47 (K-HLS-EU-Q47) was applied to 254 elderly people in the local community to analyze the degree of internal consistency and reliability. Furthermore, a comparative analysis based on the general variables was conducted.
Results : The internal consistency of this tool for the elderly yielded Cronbach s α of .81~.91, indicating a high level of reliability. There was a difference in health literacy according to sex and age based on general characteristics. Men had higher health literacy than women, and with increasing age, health literacy decreased.
Conclusion : In this study, the K-HLS-EU-Q47 was developed to assess the comprehensive health literacy level of the elderly in Korea. It is expected that the search for ways to maintain a healthier life for the elderly through understanding the health literacy levels of the elderly using the results of this study will become more active.