The association of health literacy, social support, self-efficacy and interpersonal interactions with health care providers in low-income Latina mothers

J Pediatr Nurs. 2014 Jul-Aug;29(4):309-20. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2014.01.006. Epub 2014 Jan 15.

Abstract

Objective: We explored relationships between maternal health literacy (HL), communicative self-efficacy (SE), social support (SS) and maternal perception of interactions with health care providers (HCPs).

Methods: Using a cross-sectional, correlational design, we assessed sociodemographic characteristics, maternal HL, social support, communicative self-efficacy, and interpersonal interactions with HCPs among 124 low-income Latina mothers of young children.

Results: Informal SS significantly predicted maternal SE in interactions. SE predicted maternal perception of a HCP's ability to "elicit and respond to her concerns."

Discussion: Interventions to improve maternal self-efficacy in interacting with HCPs among low health literate Latina mothers may positively impact pediatric health outcomes.

Keywords: Health literacy; Interpersonal interactions; Self-efficacy; Social support.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • California
  • Child Care / methods*
  • Child Welfare*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Literacy*
  • Health Personnel / statistics & numerical data
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Mothers
  • Poverty
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Assessment
  • Self Efficacy*
  • Social Support
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires