Latent profiles analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Literacy in middle-aged and older adult patients with chronic diseases and its association with disease burden and self management

ObjectiveTo examine the heterogeneity and determinants of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Literacy (TCM-HL) among middle-aged and older adults patients with chronic diseases and its association with disease burden and self-management and provide evidence for targeted interventions.MethodsFrom August 2025 to November 2025, a total of 550 middle-aged and older adults patients with chronic diseases were recruited as convenience samples from a tertiary Chinese medicine hospital and its nine affiliated community health service centers located in Guangdong Province, China. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, which included the TCM-HL questionnaire, the Consumer Health Activation Index (CHAI), and the Brief Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-management (Brief PETS). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted using M plus 8.3 software, while univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 software.ResultsThe average score of TCM-HL among middle-aged and older adults patients with chronic diseases was 62.80 ± 14.42, with an average item score of items was 1.70 ± 1.40. LPA identified three categories: C1 “Low TCM-HL” (n = 104, 20.68%); C2 “Moderate TCM-HL” (n = 220, 43.47%), and C3 ‘High-TCM-HL’ (n = 179, 35.59%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that marital status, occupation, per capita household income, medical insurance, the CHAI and the PETS are the significant influencing factors of TCM-HL in this populations (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe level of TCM-HL among middle-aged and older adults patients with chronic diseases is generally low, exhibiting significant heterogeneity across various subgroups. Therefore, targeted interventions that are tailored to the specific needs of each subgroup are crucial for enhancing TCM-HL within these populations.