The Associations Among Health-Promoting Lifestyle, eHealth Literacy, and Cognitive Health in Older Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Main Authors: Shao-Jie Li, Yong-Tian Yin, Guang-Hui Cui, Hui-Lan Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: health-promoting lifestyles; eHealth literacy; cognitive health; older adults
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/7/2263

<i>Background:</i> Healthy lifestyles and health literacy are strongly associated with cognitive health in older adults, however, it is unclear whether this relationship can be generalized to health-promoting lifestyles and eHealth literacy. To date, no research has examined the interactive effect of health-promoting lifestyles and eHealth literacy on cognitive health. <i>Objective:</i> To examine the associations among health-promoting lifestyles, eHealth literacy, and cognitive health in older adults. <i>Methods:</i> Using a stratified cluster sampling method, we conducted a survey with older adults in four districts and two counties in Jinan (China). Older adults (<i>n</i> = 1201; age ≥ 60 years) completed our survey. We assessed health-promoting lifestyles, eHealth literacy, and cognitive health, and collected participants’ sociodemographic information. <i>Results:</i> Health-promoting lifestyles and eHealth literacy were significantly and positively associated with cognitive health (both <i>p</i> < 0.01). In addition, eHealth literacy was positively associated with health-promoting lifestyles. Moreover, the interaction of health-promoting lifestyle and eHealth literacy negatively predicted cognitive health (<i>β</i> = −0.465, <i>p</i> < 0.01). <i>Conclusions:</i> Health-promoting lifestyles and eHealth literacy were associated with the cognitive health of Chinese older adults, both independently and interactively. Further, eHealth literacy was associated with health-promoting lifestyles in older adults. Therefore, interventions regarding healthy lifestyles and eHealth literacy would benefit older adults.