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Understanding, Trusting, and Applying Scientific Insights to Improve Your Health: A Latent Profile Analysis Approach

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  • Nejc Plohl

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia)

  • Bojan Musil

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia)

Abstract

Various leading causes of death can be prevented or delayed through informed decision-making and lifestyle changes. Previous work has, to some extent, linked such health-promoting behavior (HPB) with variables capturing individuals’ understanding of science, trust in science, and capacity to apply evidence-based information in the health context. However, empirical research on the relationship between scientific knowledge, trust in science, health literacy, and HPB is scarce. Additionally, no study has investigated whether these characteristics interact to form homogeneous, high-risk subgroups of the population. The present online study ( N = 705) revealed that trust in science and health literacy were positively related to a wide array of HPBs (e.g., healthy nutrition, physical activity, stress management), while scientific knowledge was only positively associated with COVID-19 vaccination intention. Furthermore, the results of latent profile analyses yielded four subgroups (i.e., low, moderate, and high levels of all three variables and a varied profile exhibiting very low trust in science, low health literacy, and moderate scientific knowledge). The identified subgroups differ significantly in HPB and variables determining profile membership (e.g., political conservatism). Hence, the present study offers some guidance on which groups may be targeted with public health campaigns and how they may be designed.

Suggested Citation

  • Nejc Plohl & Bojan Musil, 2022. "Understanding, Trusting, and Applying Scientific Insights to Improve Your Health: A Latent Profile Analysis Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:9967-:d:886770
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tetine Sentell & Sandra Vamos & Orkan Okan, 2020. "Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Health Literacy Research Around the World: More Important Than Ever in a Time of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Katherine M. Anderson & Jamila K. Stockman, 2020. "Staying Home, Distancing, and Face Masks: COVID-19 Prevention among U.S. Women in The COPE Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-14, December.
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    1. Jennifer Dykema & Cameron P. Jones & Dana Garbarski & Mia Farias & Dorothy Farrar Edwards, 2022. "Exploring the Relationship between Medical Research Literacy and Respondents’ Expressed Likelihood to Participate in a Clinical Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Monika Lamot & Katja Kerman & Andrej Kirbiš, 2022. "Distrustful, Dissatisfied, and Conspiratorial: A Latent Profile Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccination Rejection," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-11, August.

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