Objective To analyze the health literacy level among residents in Beibei District

Chongqing

China

which may provide evidence for the development of health education and health promotion strategies.Methods Based on the method of multi-stage stratified sampling

a total of 852 residents aged 15 to 69 years from Beibei District were included in this study.The standardized Questionnaire on Health Literacy of Chinese Citizens（Electronic Edition）was used in door-to-door interviews.Results The mean health literacy level of these interviewees was 17.61%.The health literacy level in males and females were 16.24% and 19.27%

respectively;and the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05）.But the health literacy level varied significantly with age

educational background

occupation

and annual household income per capita（P<0.05）.The 15-24 y age group had the highest health literacy level（66.67%）

while the 55-64 y age group had the lowest level（2.37%）;residents with a college degree or above had the highest health literacy level（77.27%）

while illiterate or less literate residents had the lowest level（0.00%）;healthcare professionals had the highest health literacy level（88.89%）

while farmers had the lowest level（5.41%）;residents whose annual household income per capita>15 000 RMB had the highest health literacy level（26.06%）

while those <3 000 RMB had the lowest level（9.21%）.With regard to the three aspects of health literacy

the levels of basic knowledge and concepts

lifestyle and behavior

as well as basic health skills were 33.45%

23.00%

and 19.95%

respectively.Besides

the safety and first aid literacy level was the highest（49.41%）out of the six domains

followed by scientific health concept（39.32%）

basic medical care（36.97%）

prevention and treatment of infectious diseases（32.28%）

health information（20.66%）

and chronic disease management（20.19%）.Conclusion In2017

the health literacy level among residents in Beibei District was higher than previous levels

but the level of specific populations and in specific regions still needs to be improved.It is important to enhance health intervention and establish monitoring networks

so as to promote the normalization of intervention efforts related to health literacy knowledge and skills

and thus raise the health literacy level of all residents in the district.