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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research article

The relationship among social capital, eHealth literacy and health behaviours in Chinese elderly people: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Guang-Hui Cui, Shao-Jie Li, Yong-Tian Yin, Li-Jun Chen, Jia-Qin Li, Feng-Yuan Liang, Xin-Yao Liu, Lei Chen

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Social capital has been linked to health behaviours, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Previous studies have found that health literacy played the role of a mediator in the relationships among social capital, individual physical activity and nutrition. But it is not clear whether eHealth literacy mediates the impact of social capital on health behaviours. Therefore, our research aimed to explore the relationships among social capital (structural and cognitive social capital), eHealth literacy, and the health behaviours of elderly people, and to analyse the mediating effect of eHealth literacy, while providing a theoretical basis for a health behaviour intervention for elderly people.

Methods

From January to February 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1201 Chinese people aged over 60 years using the Chinese Shortened Social Capital Scale (contains two subscales of structural social capital and cognitive social capital), eHealth Literacy Scale, and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. We used structural equation modelling to test a hypothetical mediation model.

Results

The mean scores of social capital was 72.07 (SD = 13.03), 17.24 (SD = 9.34) for eHealth literacy, and 112.23 (SD = 23.25) for health behaviours. Social capital and eHealth literacy were significantly correlated with health behaviours, and social capital and structural social capital were significantly correlated with eHealth literacy. Lastly, eHealth literacy mediated the relationship between structural social capital and health behaviours.

Conclusions

eHealth literacy was an important mediating factor for elderly people’s structural social capital and health behaviours. Therefore, social capital and eHealth literacy must be considered when designing and implementing health behaviour intervention programmes for elderly people.
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Metadata
Title
The relationship among social capital, eHealth literacy and health behaviours in Chinese elderly people: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Guang-Hui Cui
Shao-Jie Li
Yong-Tian Yin
Li-Jun Chen
Jia-Qin Li
Feng-Yuan Liang
Xin-Yao Liu
Lei Chen
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-10037-4

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