Table 4. Cluster analysis showing eight health literacy clusters and associated demographic characteristics.
| Cluster | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants n (%) |
14 (2.7) |
54 (10.6) |
276 (54.1) |
40 (7.8) |
50 (9.8) |
49 (9.6) |
9 (1.8) |
18 (3.5) |
| Within cluster HLQ mean score (SD) | ||||||||
| 1. Feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers | 2.07 (0.15) |
3.00 (0.25) |
2.64 (0.09) |
3.03 (0.17) |
2.21 (0.36) |
2.54 (0.23) |
3.11 (0.45) |
2.07 (0.52) |
| 2. Having sufficient information to manage my health | 2.09 (0.29) |
2.01 (0.13) |
1.87 (0.07) |
1.33 (0.24) |
1.78 (0.28) |
1.95 (0.33) |
1.17 (0.28) |
1.14 (0.20) |
| 3. Actively managing my health | 2.03 (0.25) |
2.13 (0.31) |
1.83 (0.07) |
1.63 (0.30) |
1.96 (0.37) |
1.65 (0.26) |
1.18 (0.27) |
1.17 (0.18) |
| 4. Social support for health | 3.14 (0.17) |
3.09 (0.19) |
2.89 (0.05) |
3.10 (0.23) |
2.66 (0.37) |
2.85 (0.15) |
3.16 (0.17) |
2.20 (0.39) |
| 5. Appraisal of health information | 2.31 (0.37) |
2.10 (0.21) |
1.97 (0.06) |
1.46 (0.30) |
1.84 (0.27) |
2.12 (0.22) |
1.24 (0.17) |
1.16 (0.15) |
| 6. Ability to actively engage with healthcare providers | 3.90 (0.15) |
3.87 (0.18) |
3.66 (0.11) |
3.69 (0.25) |
3.37 (0.37) |
3.92 (0.16) |
3.27 (0.37) |
3.13 (0.28) |
| 7. Navigating the healthcare system | 3.60 (0.29) |
3.55 (0.28) |
2.98 (0.09) |
2.95 (0.38) |
2.86 (0.37) |
2.57 (0.28) |
2.26 (0.30) |
2.02 (0.49) |
| 8. Ability to find good health information | 3.76 (0.32) |
3.17 (0.30) |
2.68 (0.11) |
2.41 (0.39) |
2.76 (0.48) |
2.38 (0.36) |
1.33 (0.22) |
1.59 (0.46) |
| 9. Understand health information well enough to know what to do | 4.03 (0.37) |
3.67 (0.33) |
3.11 (0.14) |
3.15 (0.48) |
3.22 (0.53) |
2.62 (0.36) |
2.31 (0.15) |
2.48 (0.44) |
| Sociodemographic characteristics | ||||||||
| Mean age (years) | 27.7 | 40.7 | 33.6 | 38.2 | 32.1 | 35.3 | 44.6 | 30.3 |
| Women (%) | 7.1 | 14.8 | 76.1 | 40.0 | 26.0 | 83.7 | 55.6 | 44.4 |
| Illiteracy (%) | 0.0 | 1.9 | 40.9 | 27.5 | 18.0 | 46.9 | 100.0 | 72.2 |
| Secondary education or higher (%) | 85.7 | 85.2 | 41.3 | 35.0 | 48.0 | 32.7 | 0.0 | 5.6 |
| Occupation (%) | ||||||||
| Unemployed | 14.2 | 16.6 | 67.7 | 55 | 38 | 89.7 | 77.8 | 72.3 |
| Clerical/ shop owner/ farmer | 0 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Average Income | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.2 |
| Average Socio-economic status | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| Migration (%) | 85.7 | 96.3 | 88.0 | 97.5 | 94.0 | 98.0 | 100.0 | 94.4 |
| Health card (%) | 7.1 | 27.8 | 5.1 | 22.5 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 22.2 | 0.0 |
| Medical conditions | ||||||||
| Any chronic illness (%) | 7.1 | 31.5 | 23.6 | 15.0 | 18.0 | 30.6 | 22.2 | 16.7 |
| Known hypertension (%) | 7.1 | 18.5 | 15.6 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 26.5 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
| New hypertension case (%) | 42.9 | 31.5 | 17.8 | 20 | 30 | 10 | 11 | 22 |
Notes
Colour coding of cells within clusters are based on green (highest) and red (lowest) health literacy. Scores are only relative to other levels in the row and do not indicate predetermined high/low scores related to each scale.
Average income: 1- monthly income equal or less than Rs.2,640, 2- Rs.2,641–7,886, 3- Rs.7,887–13,160, 4- Rs.13,161–19,758, 6- Rs.19,759–26,354, 10- Rs.26,346–52,733 and 12- more than Rs.52,734.
Average socioeconomic status: 1 lower, 2 upper-lower, 3 lower-middle, 4 upper-middle class.
Known hypertension: Person previously diagnosed with hypertension by a physician for at least past 2 weeks prior.
New hypertension case: Detected hypertension during the interview.