Table 3 Multivariate Estimation of the Association of Health Literacy with Health Status and Health Care Utilization (N = 1180)

Health Literacy^a

   Marginal

1.02

(0.74-1.42)

1.05

(0.77-1.44)

0.89

(0.61-1.29)

1.15

(0.70-1.91)

0.60

(0.27-1.32)

   Inadequate

0.82

(0.50-1.33)

0.62*

(0.39-0.99)

0.79

(0.45-1.39)

1.08

(0.51-2.27)

1.22

(0.47-3.06)

Age (years)^b

1.00

(0.99-1.01)

1.01*

(1.00-1.02)

1.03*

(1.02-1.04)

1.01

(0.99-1.02)

1.13*

(1.01-1.06)

Male^c

1.32*

(1.06-1.64)

1.08

(0.87-1.33)

0.68*

(0.52-0.87)

0.97

(0.68-1.38)

0.94

(0.57-1.55)

Education (years)^b

1.03

(0.99-1.07)

1.02

(0.98-1.06)

1.03

(0.98-1.08)

1.02

(0.96-1.09)

1.09*

(1.00-1.18)

Household Income^d

   51-75% of average

1.25

(0.91-1.73)

1.21

(0.88-1.65)

1.12

(0.77-1.62)

0.96

(0.58-1.58)

0.78

(0.39-1.56)

   76-100% of average

1.33

(0.93-1.89)

1.50*

(1.06-2.11)

1.15

(0.76-1.74)

0.85

(0.48-1.50)

0.90

(0.43-1.91)

   >100% of average

1.52*

(1.10-2.09)

1.36*

(1.00-1.85)

1.22

(0.84-1.76)

0.0

(0.48-1.34)

0.44*

(0.20-0.93)

Residential Location^e

   Mid-size city

0.98

(0.73-1.32)

0.91

(0.68-1.22)

0.94

(0.67-1.31)

0.88

(0.54-1.43)

1.18

(0.57-2.46)

   Small-size city

1.00

(0.72-1.40)

0.88

(0.64-1.23)

1.32

(0.89-1.96)

1.01

(0.59-1.73)

1.21

(0.54-2.70)

   Rural/remote area

0.89

(0.63-1.27)

0.77

(0.54-1.08)

1.60*

(1.06-2.42)

1.05

(0.60-1.82)

1.98

(0.91-4.33)

Physical Health^f

   Poor

0.53

(0.10-2.75)

0.38

(0.12-1.21)

0.15*

(0.04-0.58)

   Average

0.24

(0.05-1.21)

0.26*

(0.08-0.83)

0.06*

(0.01-0.22)

   Good

0.14*

(0.03-0.74)

0.13*

(0.04-0.45)

0.06*

(0.01-0.26)

   Excellent

0.09*

(0.02-0.51)

0.16*

(0.04-0.62)

0.04*

(0.01-0.20)

Mental Health^f

   Poor

0.55

(0.10-3.16)

1.23

(0.28-5.46)

4.49

(0.59-34.11)

   Average

0.70

(0.12-4.02)

0.90

(0.20-4.12)

4.42

(0.55-35.56)

   Good

0.82

(0.14-4.79)

1.21

(0.26-5.65)

2.84

(0.33-24.40)

   Excellent

0.79

(0.13-4.70)

0.94

(0.18-4.80)

4.97

(0.53-47.01)