Background and Objectives: Aging is a natural process that involves morphological, psychological, functional, and social changes. The gradual decrease in functional capacity during aging can lead to functional dependence and chronic diseases. Functional health literacy is a health education technique that promotes the individual's ability to access, read, understand, interpret, evaluate, and apply health-related information. Functional health literacy enables elderly individuals to be more active and informed about their own health, promoting self-care. to summarise research on the level of functional health literacy among the elderly and their ability to comprehend and follow self-care instructions. Materials and Methods: A narrative review. The databases used to conduct the scoping review were PubMed and Scopus, using the combination of the Boolean operator "AND" and descriptors: Functional health literacy; Self-care in older adults; Functional health literacy in older adults.
Results: Research indicates that adequate adherence to disease treatment is fundamental to the effectiveness of healthcare. When older adults struggle to comprehend self-care instructions, they may face challenges in correctly adhering to medication regimens, attending follow-up appointments, or adopting healthy lifestyle practices. A low level of functional health literacy can hinder the comprehension and utilization of health-related information, such as scheduling appointments, interpreting medical exams and forms, and preventing diseases.
Conclusion: the ability of older adults to comprehend and follow self-care instructions is directly impacted by their functional health literacy level, which in turn affects their overall quality of life. |
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