摘要：We examined the influence of maternal health literacy on child participation in social welfare programs. In this cohort, 20% of the mothers had inadequate or marginal health literacy. Initially, more than 50% of the families participated in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Stamp Program, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, whereas fewer than 15% received child care subsidies or public housing. In multivariate regression, TANF participation was more than twice as common among children whose mothers had adequate health literacy compared with children whose mothers had inadequate health literacy. Reports have documented underenrollment in public programs known to improve child health (e.g., food or cash assistance, housing). 1 – 8 Although the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are complex, one possible explanation is that participation is hampered by the literacy demands of the application process. Low health literacy (“an individual's ability to read, understand and use healthcare information to make decisions and follow instructions for treatment” 9 ) affects more than 90 million American adults (approximately 20% of the adult population). 10 In a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of Medicaid-eligible mothers and infants, we hypothesized that mothers with adequate health literacy would be more likely than those with inadequate health literacy to participate in public programs.
