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

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.