Abstract: ObjectiveTo understand the level and influencing factors of health literacy among residents in Xi’an City.MethodsFrom September to December in 2015, stratified multistage and probability proportional to size sampling methods were used to select non-collective permanent residents aged 15-69 years living in Xi’an City to attend questionnaire survey. The questionnaire contents included basic situation, three aspects and 6 health issues. Data were analyzed by the chi-square test. Factors influencing health literacy were analyzed by the logistic regression analysis of binary classification variables.ResultsThe total level of health literacy among the residents in Xi’an City in 2015 was 8.99％(248/2 758)．Of the three aspects of health literacy levels, basic health concept and knowledge was 13.96%, healthy lifestyle and behaviors was 10.41%, and health related skills was 18.09%．The health literacy rates of 6 health issues ranking from highest to lowest were 47.39% for scientific attitude towards health, 32.23% for safety and first aid,18.31% for health information literacy, 15.45% for infectious diseases prevention, 10.91% for basic medical care, and 5.51% for chronic disease prevention in turn. Single factor analysis showed that the health literacy level of urban residents was far higher than that of rural ones. The level of health literacy in the group aged 25-34 was 14.94%, the highest among the all groups. The health literacy levels of the residents with the undergraduate or master degree were 20.51% and 20.45%, respectively; the medical staff had the highest health literacy level of 34.21% (all P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with civil servants, the medical personnel had higher health literacy level (OR: 5.07, 95% CI: 1.37-18.72), but the statistically significant difference was not observed between the other professional residents and civil servants (all P>0.05). The residents with educational levels at college and master degree or above had higher levels of health literacy (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.55-6.16 and OR: 3.74, 95% CI: 1.33-10.49), compared with those with the educational level at primary school.ConclusionThe health literacy level of residents in Xi’an was generally low in 2015, especially for the basic medical care and prevention of chronic diseases. The profession and educational level were main factors influencing the residents’ health literacy level in Xi’an.