The Use of Health Empowerment as Moderation Variable between Health Literacy and Health Behavior

Abstract

This article aims to examine the effect of health literacy on health behavior and the use of health empowerment as a moderating variable. This research was conducted in Blitar City, which has implemented the Healthy City program since 2011. The research method used a quantitative approach with data methods in the form of a questionnaire. Data analysis method used in this research is inferential statistical analysis using the structural equation modeling (SEM) PLS. The results showed that health literacy carried out as part of the Healthy City Program had a positive and significant impact on public health behavior, which is 0.268. The health behavior variable consists of health maintenance, health seeking behavior, and environmental health behavior. Of the three indicators, health maintenance is the dominant indicator that shapes health behavior, which is 0.921. Findings indicated that health empowerment also has a significant effect on health behavior amounting to 0.402. Meanwhile, result of moderating variable test indicate that health empowerment process is a moderating quasi variable which has a significant effect on the relationship between health literacy and health behavior.