Letramento funcional em saúde em adultos e idosos com disfagia

Abstract

Purpose: To verify the association between Functional Health Literacy in adults and elderly with dysphagia and socioeconomic, clinical, and swallowing ability data according to cognitive screening. Methods: Observational analytical cross-sectional study with 49 participants in a rehabilitation clinic. We analyzed medical records, Brazil Economic Classification Criteria, Mini Mental State Examination, Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults, Speech Therapy Protocol for Dysphagia Risk Assessment, Functional Oral Intake Scale, and Dysphagia Handicap Index. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyzes were performed. Results: Most participants presented functional literacy in inadequate health, neurological disease, higher score on cognitive performance, mild and moderate dysphagia, and were fed orally with restrictions. There was an association in the multiple logistic regression of functional health literacy with schooling and underlying disease for the group with a higher score on cognitive performance, participants with higher education were 11.9 more likely to have adequate health literacy, neurological participants demonstrated 93.0 times more likely to have inadequate health literacy. Conclusion: Individuals with a higher level of education and those who did not have underlying neurological disease sowed less chance of having inadequate Functional Health Literacy.