Abstract: ObjectiveTo analyze the health literacy and its influencing factors among rural residents and to provide evidences for making specific intervention strategy.MethodsBy using multistage stratified cluster random sampling,1 096 rural residents aged 16-85 years were selected from 72 villages in 6 administrative regions of Shandong province and surveyed with a self-designed questionnaire.ResultsThe average comprehensive health literacy score was 9.74±2.54 for the residents and the scores for knowledge,reading and comprehension,calculation,and communication about health were 3.99±1.33,1.98±0.95,2.12±1,and 1.65±0.56,respectively.Single factor analyses revealed that age,family size,education level,and marital status were significant influencing factors of health literacy in the rural residents(all P<0.05).Non-conditional logistic regression analyses showed that the health literacy level was significantly influenced by age inversely and by the education level of the residents positively(all P<0.05)and the unmarried residents were more likely to have a higher health literacy compared to the widowed residents(P<0.05).ConclusionHealth literacy is at a medium level and mainly influenced by age,family size,and education level among the rural residents in Shandong province.