Health Literacy Level of Hispanic College Students

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the health literacy levels of Hispanic college students. METHODS: Participants were students at a major Hispanic-serving university in the southwestern United States. The design was cross-sectional, and data were collected using the Newest Vital Sign in English. Analyses included frequencies and descriptive statistics, simple and multiple logistic regression, and χ(2)/Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: A total of 331 students participated. The overall Newest Vital Sign mean score was 5.1 (standard deviation 1.18); more than 90% (n = 299) obtained a score equivalent to an "always adequate literacy." A lower percentage than that found by a national survey scored at the "below adequate literacy" level. Language spoken at home was the only covariate that significantly affected test scores (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The overall health literacy level of the participants was higher than the general Hispanic adult population. Investing in the education of Hispanics may help to address disparities in health literacy.