Date of Conferral
2-5-2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Health
Advisor
Amber Dessellier
Abstract
Health literacy can be described as the understanding of own’s own health and understanding of health-related information (Shadid, 2022). In rural communities, health literacy is typically at a lower level than in urban communities. West Virginia is a mostly rural state and in addition to lower health literacy, chronic diseases are high in West Virginia. The target area for this study was rural Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The purpose of the study was to examine perceived barriers to health literacy in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, and how this affects understanding of chronic disease. Research questions focused on participants’ knowledge of health literacy, their experiences with health literacy and chronic disease, and the barriers they face in accessing health literacy. Eleven participants were interviewed during in-person interviews. The inclusion criteria included over the age of 18 years ol, diagnosis of at least one chronic disease, native to West Virginia, and currently residing in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The interviews were transcribed for commonalities and themes within the participant interviews. Results of this study found that participants did not have a concise or clear health literacy definition. Additionally, most participants did not have any additional health information except health education courses in school. As above, participants were asked about their nutrition and exercise habits, and almost all reported they need to improve. However, participants did not report having a clear understanding of how their current health affects their long-term health. Participants reported barriers to accessing health literacy such as being rushed at the doctor, not receiving health education from providers, conflicting information on the internet, or not knowing where to look. The results from this study can be utilized to promote further research on how to improve health literacy in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, Summer, "How Health Literacy Influences Rural West Virginians Knowledge of Chronic Disease Prevention and Management" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17272.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17272
