Exploring the Relationship between Health Information Literacy and Health Behaviors of the Elderly

BACKGROUND: Population aging and health issues are one of the most crucial issues worldwide. Health behaviors are the most direct factor affecting the health of the elderly. This study aims to explore the relationship between the health information literacy and health behaviors of the elderly. METHODS: A hypothesis model for the influence of health information literacy on health behaviors of the elderly was constructed. Based on survey data of 382 elderly people aged 60 and above in Hangzhou, China, from March 2022 to May 2022, the relationship between the health information literacy and health behaviors of the elderly was studied by using quantitative statistics and the structural equation model. RESULTS: The health information literacy of the elderly had a significant positive impact on their health behaviors (P<0.01). Health information seeking played a partial mediating role between health information literacy and health behaviors. Social support exerted a significant moderating effect between health information literacy and health behaviors (P<0.05) and between health information literacy and health information seeking (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Health information literacy is the decisive factor of the elderly's health behaviors. The higher level of health information literacy, the more health information seeking, thus promoting more active health behaviors.