Association of health literacy, COVID-19 threat, and vaccination intention among Brazilian adolescents.
Sidiany Mendes Pimentel, Marla Andréia Garcia de Avila, Rafaela Aparecida Prata and 2 others
PMID 36351090WHAT IT FOUND
Brazilian adolescents with higher health literacy felt more threatened by COVID-19.
Health literacy was not associated with intention not to be vaccinated once income, education, and region were considered.
Key findings
01One point higher health literacy was associated with an average 0.044-point increase in the COVID-19 threat score.
02Among adolescents not vaccinated or with only one dose, 86.9% (n=457) intended to be vaccinated.
03The association between health literacy and intention not to be vaccinated was not confirmed in the multivariate analysis.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study measured associations at one time point, so it cannot show that health literacy caused changes in threat perception or vaccination intention. Participants were recruited online through snowball and social media, so adolescents without internet access and more vulnerable adolescents were not represented. The sample was not random or nationally representative; it included participants from 25 states and the Federal District, but only 10 participants were from the South region. Vaccination intention was assessed only among participants not vaccinated or with one dose, so fully vaccinated adolescents were not included in that outcome. The health literacy scale has no cut-off point for satisfactory or unsatisfactory literacy. The authors noted participant selection bias because part of the sample came from researcher contacts. The study did not analyse working and living conditions.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that raising health literacy will increase vaccination intention. The study did not test an intervention, and after adjustment the health literacy association with intention not to be vaccinated was not confirmed.