Well-Being and Aging-Related Decline in Financial and Health Literacy in Advanced Age

Date
2023
Language
American English
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Oxford University Press
Abstract

Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests that financial and health literacy deteriorates in advanced age. By contrast, well-being promotes health in aging. This study tested the hypothesis that well-being is associated with slower aging-related literacy decline.

Methods: Participants were 1,099 community-based older adults without dementia at baseline. Financial and health literacy was assessed at baseline and annually thereafter via a 32-item measure. Well-being was assessed at baseline via the 18-item version of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being.

Results: During up to 12 years of annual follow-up, literacy declined about 1 percentage point per year on average (β = -0.91, standard error [SE] = 0.08, p < .001); however, there was considerable variation in change in literacy between participants (random slopes variance = 1.24, SE = 0.15, p < .001). In a linear mixed-effects model adjusted for age, sex, and education, higher well-being was associated with higher starting level of literacy (β = 2.31, SE = 0.67, p = .001) and, critically, slower literacy decline (β = 0.29, SE = 0.11, p = .01). The association of higher well-being with slower literacy decline persisted in models that additionally adjusted for income, medical conditions, depressive symptoms, and a robust measure of global cognition.

Discussion: This study suggests that well-being helps stave off aging-related literacy decline.

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Stewart CC, Yu L, Glover C, et al. Well-Being and Aging-Related Decline in Financial and Health Literacy in Advanced Age. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2023;78(9):1526-1532. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbad059
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The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
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PMC
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