Exploring Gender Variations in Health Literacy and Herbal Medicine Use Among Malaysian Adults

Health literacy is vital for the effectiveness of public health strategies, as it empowers individuals to access, comprehend, and utilise health information to improve their well-being and prevent diseases. The global resurgence of herbal and natural products underscores the importance of understanding the interplay between traditional health practices and modern health literacy. However, empirical research in this area is sparse, particularly in multi-ethnic, middle-income countries like Malaysia. This study aimed to evaluate health literacy levels and explore their relationships with socio-demographic variables and patterns of herbal product usage, utilising data gathered from 810 Malaysian adults. Health literacy was measured using the validated HLS-M-Q18 instrument, supplemented with questions related to herbal product usage. Associations were analysed through descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses. Results indicated that 63.2% of respondents demonstrated satisfactory health literacy, classified as either sufficient or insufficient. Multivariate analysis identified male gender (OR = 1.473, p = 0.017) and absence of formal medical consultation (OR = 4.479, p < 0.001) as significant predictors of inadequate health literacy. Although the use and duration of herbal product intake did not show statistically significant results in the multivariate analyses, descriptive trends revealed that long-term herbal users (over 10 years) exhibited a higher percentage of excellent health literacy (29.6%) compared to short-term or non-users. These findings suggest that regular engagement in traditional health practices may enhance self-directed health information behaviour, although this effect is not independently predictive once adjusted. This research makes a unique contribution to the health literacy framework by integrating traditional health behaviours, emphasising the necessity for culturally responsive and gender-sensitive public health interventions. Bridging biomedical health literacy frameworks with community-based herbal practices is essential for enhancing health outcomes, promoting safe self-care, and informing national health promotion strategies in diverse healthcare settings.