Objective To investigate the level of health literacy on climate change among residents in Shenzhen, China and its influencing factors.
Methods From August to December 2022, four communities in Shenzhen were randomly selected, and 945 residents in the communities were surveyed for their demographic characteristics, awareness of climate change-related information, ways to obtain climate change-related knowledge, and levels of health literacy on climate change.
Results Among the 945 residents, the overall level of health literacy on climate change was 33.12%. The literacy levels of climate change related healthy lifestyle, basic health skills, and basic health knowledge and concepts were 60.95%, 54.50%, and 25.93%, respectively. Age, education background, occupation, annual household income, and whether to know climate change-related information were factors influencing the level of residents' health literacy on climate change. Residents with higher education levels, moderate-to-high annual household incomes, and an awareness of climate change-related information had a higher level of health literacy. The actual ways for residents to obtain climate change-related information were mainly computer networks (56.83%), movies and television (52.59%), and mobile phone apps (40.95%), while the expected ways were mobile phone apps (60.85%), movies and television (46.67%), and community publicity (42.54%).
Conclusion The overall level of health literacy on climate change among residents in Shenzhen needs to be improved, and authorities should focus on the population with low education levels, low incomes, and aged between 26 and 50 years when carrying out climate change and health interventions. Meanwhile, health interventions should be carried out in combination with new media to help residents obtain climate change-related information more conveniently and effectively, comprehensively improving their health literacy on climate change.
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