TY  - JOUR
AU  - Nakayama, Kazuhiro
AU  - Yonekura, Yuki
AU  - Danya, Hitomi
AU  - Hagiwara, Kanako
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/1/24
TI  - COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors and Health Literacy, Information Evaluation, and Decision-making Skills in Japanese Adults: Cross-sectional Survey Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e34966
VL  - 6
IS  - 1
KW  - coronavirus
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - health literacy
KW  - health information
KW  - decision-making
KW  - health promotion
KW  - prevention
KW  - behavior
KW  - survey
KW  - evaluation
AB  - Background: Health literacy is important for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Research in Japan shows that health literacy is related to skills in evaluating information and decision-making (skills that are not necessarily limited to information about health). Such basic skills are important, particularly when individuals encounter new health issues for which there is insufficient evidence. Objective: We aimed to determine the extent to which COVID-19 preventive behaviors were associated with health literacy and skills in evaluating information and making decisions. Methods: A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted using a Japanese internet research company. The measures comprised 8 items on COVID-19 preventive behaviors, health literacy items (European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire), 5 items on information evaluation, and 4 items on decision-making process. Pearson correlations between these variables were calculated. Multivariable analyses were also conducted using the COVID-19 preventive behavior score as a dependent variable. Results: A total of 3914 valid responses were received.COVID-19 preventive behaviors were significantly correlated with health literacy (r=0.23), information evaluation (r=0.24), and decision-making process (r=0.30). Standardized regression coefficients (health literacy: β=.11; information evaluation: β=.13; decision-making: β=.18) showed that decision-making process contributed the most. Conclusions: Although comprehensive health literacy is necessary for COVID-19 preventive behaviors, the skills to evaluate a wide range of information and to make appropriate decisions are no less important. Opportunities for people to acquire these skills should be available at all times. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2022/1/e34966
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/34966
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34982036
DO  - 10.2196/34966
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/34966
ER  -