Table 3 Results of bivariate analysis: distribution of different questionnaire variables by level of health literacy
|  |  | Low health literacy (N = 21) | High health literacy (N = 140) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Socio-demographic variables | Â | |||
 Year in Italy | mean (SD) | 13.4 (8.5) | 12.67 (5.0) | 0.542 |
 Age group | n (%) |  |  |  |
  20–34 |  | 3 (15.0%) | 29 (20.9%) | 0.282 |
  35–44 |  | 7 (35.0%) | 34 (24.5%) |  |
  45–54 |  | 3 (15.0%) | 30 (21.6%) |  |
  55–64 |  | 4 (20.0%) | 40 (28.8%) |  |
   > 65 |  | 3 (15.0%) | 6 (4.3%) |  |
Occupation | ||||
 Home care workers |  | 8 (22.9%) | 39 (29.6%) | 0.016 |
 Cleaners |  | 16 (45.7%) | 29 (22.0%) |  |
 Other |  | 4 (11.4%) | 44 (33.3%) |  |
 Health care workers |  | 3 (8.6%) | 7 (5.3%) |  |
 Unemployed |  | 4 (11.4%) | 13 (9.9%) |  |
 Formal education (years) | mean (SD) | 12.3 (3.8) | 13.2 (3.1) | 0.375 |
Health behavior variables | Â | |||
 Body Mass Index | n (%) |  |  | 0.856 |
  Underweight |  | 0 (0.0%) | 5 (3.7%) |  |
  Normal weight |  | 12 (57.1%) | 65 (47.8%) |  |
  Overweight |  | 5 (23.8%) | 42 (30.9%) |  |
  Obese |  | 4 (19.0%) | 24 (17.6%) |  |
 Smoking | n (%) | 7 (33.3%) | 20 (14.3%) | 0.053 |
 Daily alcohol intake (units) | mean (SD) | 1.5 (1.1) | 1.4 (1.0) | 0.700 |
 Sport or physical exercise in previous 12 months | n (%) |  |  | 0.338 |
  Never |  | 8 (40.0%) | 45 (32.4%) |  |
  Less than once a week |  | 4 (20.0%) | 17 (12.2%) |  |
  Once a week or more |  | 8 (40.0%) | 77 (55.4%) |  |
Health status | ||||
 Previously diagnosed diseases | n (%) |  |  |  |
  Asthma |  | 4 (19.0%) | 3 (2.2%) | 0.006 |
  Bronchitis |  | 2 (9.5%) | 4 (2.9%) | 0.182 |
  Myocardial infarction |  | 0 (0.0%) | 6 (4.4%) | 0.999 |
  Coronary disease |  | 2 (9.5%) | 6 (4.4%) | 0.291 |
  Hypertension |  | 9 (42.9%) | 31 (22.8%) | 0.061 |
  Arthritis/arthrosis |  | 8 (38.1%) | 46 (33.6%) | 0.805 |
  Lumbar disorders |  | 10 (50.0%) | 58 (43.3%) | 0.633 |
  Cervical disorders |  | 10 (47.6%) | 50 (37.0%) | 0.470 |
  Diabetes |  | 1 (4.8%) | 6 (4.4%) | 0.998 |
  Allergies |  | 9 (42.9%) | 48 (35.0%) | 0.770 |
  Depression |  | 5 (23.8%) | 15 (11.2%) | 0.152 |
  Anxiety |  | 3 (14.3%) | 9 (6.6%) | 0.204 |
 Symptoms in previous 6 months | n (%) |  |  |  |
  Headache |  |  |  | 0.864 |
   Never |  | 5 (23.8%) | 24 (17.3%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 8 (38.1%) | 50 (36.0%) |  |
   Daily |  | 8 (38.1%) | 65 (46.8%) |  |
  Trouble sleeping |  |  |  | 0.022 |
   Never |  | 5 (23.8%) | 65 (47.1%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 8 (38.1%) | 19 (13.8%) |  |
   Daily |  | 8 (38.1%) | 54 (39.1%) |  |
  Extreme fatigue |  |  |  | 0.420 |
   Never |  | 9 (42.9%) | 67 (48.2%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 5 (23.8%) | 18 (12.9%) |  |
   Daily |  | 7 (33.3%) | 54 (38.8%) |  |
  Lack of appetite |  |  |  | 0.334 |
   Never |  | 16 (76.2%) | 110 (79.1%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 0 (0.0%) | 10 (7.2%) |  |
   Daily |  | 5 (23.8%) | 19 (13.7%) |  |
  Difficulty concentrating |  |  |  | 0.401 |
   Never |  | 10 (47.6%) | 81 (58.7%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 7 (33.3%) | 29 (21.0%) |  |
   Daily |  | 4 (19.0%) | 28 (20.3%) |  |
  Gastro-intestinal problems |  |  |  | 0.687 |
   Never |  | 13 (61.9%) | 76 (54.7%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 4 (19.0%) | 23 (16.5%) |  |
   Daily |  | 4 (19.0%) | 40 (28.8%) |  |
  Dizziness |  |  |  | 0.864 |
   Never |  | 11 (52.4%) | 62 (44.6%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 6 (28.6%) | 44 (31.7%) |  |
  Daily |  | 4 (19.0%) | 33 (23.7%) |  |
  Shortness of breath |  |  |  | 0.738 |
   Never |  | 16 (76.2%) | 113 (81.3%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 2 (9.5%) | 13 (9.4%) |  |
   Daily |  | 3 (14.3%) | 13 (9.4%) |  |
  Difficulty relaxing |  |  |  | 0.679 |
   Never |  | 11 (52.4%) | 82 (59.4%) |  |
   Sometimes |  | 4 (19.0%) | 18 (13.0%) |  |
   Daily |  | 6 (28.6%) | 38 (27.5%) |  |