Health literacy influences individuals’ ability to prevent illness, manage chronic conditions, and effectively use digital health tools. Validated measurement tools and evidence remain limited for aging Asian populations. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the 12-item Short-Form Health Literacy Scale (HLS-SF12) and examined sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with health literacy among community residents in Taiwan.

Findings: The HLS-SF12 demonstrated excellent internal consistency. KMO and Bartlett’s test indicated that the data were suitable for exploratory factor analysis, which was exploratory and sample-specific. Hypertension was the most common chronic condition, and the prevalence of multimorbidity was significantly higher among participants living in southern regions. Lower scores were observed in areas such as evaluating treatment options, understanding vaccination requirements, and accessing mental health information. Lack of regular medical visits was associated with higher odds of low health literacy in this cross-sectional analysis, without implying causality.

This study referenced a study that used 2015–2016 California Health Interview Survey data.