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Beyond Age: Exploring Health Literacy, Well-Being, and Stress Management Among the Elderly.

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Τίτλος: Beyond Age: Exploring Health Literacy, Well-Being, and Stress Management Among the Elderly.
Συγγραφείς: Ferreira J; Lusofona University, SPIC, HEI-LAB, Lisbon, Portugal., Gaspar T; Lusofona University, SPIC, HEI-LAB, Lisbon, Portugal.
Πηγή: Western journal of nursing research [West J Nurs Res] 2026 Aug; Vol. 48 (8), pp. 834-846. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 26.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Sage Publications Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7905435 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1552-8456 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01939459 NLM ISO Abbreviation: West J Nurs Res Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Beverly Hills, CA : Sage Publications
Original Publication: [Anaheim, Calif.] Phillips-Allen.
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Health Literacy*/standards , Health Literacy*/methods , Health Literacy*/statistics & numerical data , Stress, Psychological*/psychology , Stress, Psychological*/therapy, Humans ; Aged ; Female ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Aged, 80 and over ; Male ; Psychological Well-Being ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Coping Skills ; Digital Health
Περίληψη: Background: Aging can increase stress, making effective stress management strategies essential for promoting healthy aging. However, many older adults face difficulties because of low health literacy, which negatively impacts their well-being. Few studies have explored the relationship between health literacy, well-being, and stress management.
Objectives: We aimed to examine relationships between health literacy (including digital health literacy), well-being, and stress management among older adults. Specifically, we sought to: (1) assess levels of health and digital health literacy; (2) examine differences according to age, gender, education, and senior university attendance; and (3) analyze the associations between health literacy, stress management, and well-being, including the potential role of stress management in this relationship.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 579 participants aged 65 to 98 years, of whom 64.1% were women.
Results: Older adults with lower education levels and those who do not attend a senior university had lower levels of health literacy. Internet use for health-related purposes was also limited. Stress management skills fully mediated the relationship between both traditional and digital health literacy and well-being, indicating that higher health literacy is associated with better well-being through improved stress management.
Conclusion: Strengthening health literacy can promote well-being by improving stress management. Interventions should include informational sessions, tailored educational materials, and skill-building workshops. Senior universities can play a key role by offering technology and health-related classes that empower older adults to access reliable online health information and improve their overall health knowledge.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
References: Front Psychiatry. 2022 May 19;13:878884. (PMID: 35664470)
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2019 May;31(4):359-366. (PMID: 31307218)
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2018 Nov - Dec;79:52-56. (PMID: 30107312)
Health Lit Res Pract. 2021 Jul;5(3):e234-e243. (PMID: 34379549)
BMC Health Serv Res. 2019 Jul 26;19(1):523. (PMID: 31349842)
J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. (PMID: 6668417)
Front Public Health. 2022 Oct 10;10:998710. (PMID: 36299739)
Innov Aging. 2025 Jun 23;9(7):igaf068. (PMID: 41132819)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 23;18(6):. (PMID: 33806812)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 20;19(14):. (PMID: 35886683)
Front Public Health. 2023 Apr 14;11:1088863. (PMID: 37124820)
J Health Psychol. 2013 Aug;18(8):997-1003. (PMID: 23479304)
J Geriatr Oncol. 2020 Jul;11(6):1020-1022. (PMID: 31917114)
Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1946 Nov;36(11):1315-23. (PMID: 18016450)
J Med Internet Res. 2006 Jun 16;8(2):e9. (PMID: 16867972)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Mar 05;17(5):. (PMID: 32150820)
BMC Fam Pract. 2021 Nov 18;22(1):233. (PMID: 34789153)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 13;18(6):. (PMID: 33805787)
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2022 Jan 31;22(1):28. (PMID: 35101005)
Health Expect. 2023 Dec;26(6):2349-2360. (PMID: 37551056)
Front Public Health. 2022 Aug 05;10:906089. (PMID: 35991040)
Health Psychol. 2021 Aug;40(8):556-568. (PMID: 34618502)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 25;20(5):. (PMID: 36901182)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 01;19(7):. (PMID: 35409905)
PLoS One. 2022 May 4;17(5):e0267782. (PMID: 35507632)
Digit Health. 2022 May 20;8:20552076221102765. (PMID: 35615270)
J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jun 28;25:e48166. (PMID: 37379077)
J Bras Nefrol. 2022 Jan-Mar;44(1):84-96. (PMID: 34643641)
Am J Mens Health. 2015 Sep;9(5):370-9. (PMID: 25122719)
West J Nurs Res. 2025 Aug;47(8):687-697. (PMID: 40375609)
Front Public Health. 2022 Aug 15;10:900883. (PMID: 36045727)
BMJ Open. 2023 Jul 11;13(7):e064609. (PMID: 37433732)
Int J Med Inform. 2021 Jan;145:104322. (PMID: 33157342)
Z Gesundh Wiss. 2023;31(5):679-687. (PMID: 34104627)
BMC Public Health. 2021 Aug 17;21(1):1556. (PMID: 34399716)
Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2018 Jan-Apr;18(1):60-68. (PMID: 30487911)
BMC Health Serv Res. 2017 Jan 19;17(1):52. (PMID: 28103914)
BMJ Open. 2021 May 5;11(5):e045018. (PMID: 33952550)
J Med Internet Res. 2025 Jul 1;27:e65380. (PMID: 40591893)
Qual Life Res. 2021 Aug;30(8):2235-2243. (PMID: 33661455)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 29;19(21):. (PMID: 36361025)
BMC Public Health. 2012 Jan 25;12:80. (PMID: 22276600)
J Med Internet Res. 2006 Nov 14;8(4):e27. (PMID: 17213046)
Geriatr Nurs. 2022 Jan-Feb;43:45-50. (PMID: 34808420)
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: active aging; digital health literacy; health literacy; older adults; stress management; well-being
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260526 Date Completed: 20260713 Latest Revision: 20260813
Update Code: 20260813
PubMed Central ID: PMC13365313
DOI: 10.1177/01939459261442785
PMID: 42187118
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Ferreira+J%22">Ferreira J</searchLink>; Lusofona University, SPIC, HEI-LAB, Lisbon, Portugal.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Gaspar+T%22">Gaspar T</searchLink>; Lusofona University, SPIC, HEI-LAB, Lisbon, Portugal.
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  Data: Background: Aging can increase stress, making effective stress management strategies essential for promoting healthy aging. However, many older adults face difficulties because of low health literacy, which negatively impacts their well-being. Few studies have explored the relationship between health literacy, well-being, and stress management.<br />Objectives: We aimed to examine relationships between health literacy (including digital health literacy), well-being, and stress management among older adults. Specifically, we sought to: (1) assess levels of health and digital health literacy; (2) examine differences according to age, gender, education, and senior university attendance; and (3) analyze the associations between health literacy, stress management, and well-being, including the potential role of stress management in this relationship.<br />Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 579 participants aged 65 to 98 years, of whom 64.1% were women.<br />Results: Older adults with lower education levels and those who do not attend a senior university had lower levels of health literacy. Internet use for health-related purposes was also limited. Stress management skills fully mediated the relationship between both traditional and digital health literacy and well-being, indicating that higher health literacy is associated with better well-being through improved stress management.<br />Conclusion: Strengthening health literacy can promote well-being by improving stress management. Interventions should include informational sessions, tailored educational materials, and skill-building workshops. Senior universities can play a key role by offering technology and health-related classes that empower older adults to access reliable online health information and improve their overall health knowledge.
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  Data: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
– Name: Ref
  Label: References
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(PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2241132819%22">41132819)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 23;18(6):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233806812%22">33806812)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 20;19(14):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235886683%22">35886683)</searchLink><br />Front Public Health. 2023 Apr 14;11:1088863. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237124820%22">37124820)</searchLink><br />J Health Psychol. 2013 Aug;18(8):997-1003. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2223479304%22">23479304)</searchLink><br />J Geriatr Oncol. 2020 Jul;11(6):1020-1022. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231917114%22">31917114)</searchLink><br />Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1946 Nov;36(11):1315-23. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2218016450%22">18016450)</searchLink><br />J Med Internet Res. 2006 Jun 16;8(2):e9. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2216867972%22">16867972)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Mar 05;17(5):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2232150820%22">32150820)</searchLink><br />BMC Fam Pract. 2021 Nov 18;22(1):233. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234789153%22">34789153)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 13;18(6):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233805787%22">33805787)</searchLink><br />BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2022 Jan 31;22(1):28. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235101005%22">35101005)</searchLink><br />Health Expect. 2023 Dec;26(6):2349-2360. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237551056%22">37551056)</searchLink><br />Front Public Health. 2022 Aug 05;10:906089. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235991040%22">35991040)</searchLink><br />Health Psychol. 2021 Aug;40(8):556-568. 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(PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2230487911%22">30487911)</searchLink><br />BMC Health Serv Res. 2017 Jan 19;17(1):52. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2228103914%22">28103914)</searchLink><br />BMJ Open. 2021 May 5;11(5):e045018. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233952550%22">33952550)</searchLink><br />J Med Internet Res. 2025 Jul 1;27:e65380. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2240591893%22">40591893)</searchLink><br />Qual Life Res. 2021 Aug;30(8):2235-2243. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233661455%22">33661455)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 29;19(21):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236361025%22">36361025)</searchLink><br />BMC Public Health. 2012 Jan 25;12:80. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2222276600%22">22276600)</searchLink><br />J Med Internet Res. 2006 Nov 14;8(4):e27. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2217213046%22">17213046)</searchLink><br />Geriatr Nurs. 2022 Jan-Feb;43:45-50. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234808420%22">34808420)</searchLink>
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