Health literacy and health-related knowledge among persons living with HIV/AIDS

Background: Functional health literacy is associated with illness-related k nowledge, understanding, and treatment perceptions fur several chronic illn esses. This study examined health literacy in relation to knowledge and und erstanding of HIV/AIDS. Methods: Persons living with HIV/AIDS recruited from AIDS service organizat ions and HIV clinics completed the Test of Functional Health Literacy for A dults (TOFHLA) reading comprehension scale and measures of health status, k nowledge and understanding of health status, perceptions of primary care gi vers, and perceptions of anti-HIV treatments. Results: Eighteen percent of the sample scored below the cutoff for. margin al functional health literacy on the TOFHLA. Controlling for years of educa tion, persons of lower health literacy were significantly less likely to ha ve an undetectable HIV viral load, somewhat less likely to know their CD4 c ell count and viral load, and lower health-literacy persons who knew their CD4 count and viral load were less likely to understand their meaning. Lowe r health literacy was also related to misperceptions that anti-HIV treatmen ts reduce risks for sexually transmitting HIV and beliefs that anti-HIV tre atments carl relax safer-sex practices. Conclusions: Poor health literacy creates barriers to fully understanding o ne's health, illness, and treatments. Misperceptions of treatment in the ca se of HIV infection creates danger for potentially transmitting treatment r esistant strains of HIV. These results have implications for patient educat ion and treatment programming for people who have poor health-literacy skil ls and are living with HIV/AIDS.