Comparison of health literacy and health behaviors between Korean women with and without breast cancer

Comparison of health literacy and health behaviors between Korean women with and without breast cancer

Purpose: This descriptive survey compared health literacy and health behaviors between Korean women with and without breast cancer. Methods: In total, 95 women with and 97 women without breast cancer (age range: 40-69 years) completed the survey. Health literacy and health behavior were analyzed in women with and without breast cancer, using the Newest Vital Sign. Results: Women with breast cancer were less frequently alcohol drinkers (14.7% vs. 47.4%, p < .001) and more frequently exercised (65.3% vs. 49.5%, p = .027), obtained health information (17.9% vs. 8.2%, p = .047), and attended health education programs (10.5% vs. 1.0%, p = .005) than women without cancer. In both groups, women with higher literacy levels outnumbered those with limited literacy. Conclusion: The results indicated that women with breast cancer were more likely to engage in health-promotion activities than women without cancer, and this increased their health literacy levels. The findings could inform interventions involving breast cancer prevention methods.