Objective: To explore the application of latent profile model in classification of health knowledge awareness in Guangzhou residents, and identify the characteristics of the heterogeneous population from multi dimensions.
Methods: By stratified cluster sampling, health knowledge and health behavior among 1179 residents in Guangzhou City were investigated. Latent profile model was used to population classification based on health knowledge scores, and compared with traditional clustering method, the demographic and health behaviors with different levels of health knowledge were analyzed.
Results: Community residents were divided into three classes of health knowledge awareness model crowd by latent profile model, which accounted for 62. 2%, 27. 4% and 10. 4%, respectively, was superior to the traditional cluster method. Therewere significant differences in the demographic characteristics of different health knowledge subgroups, people who is younger, low education, manual worker with weak health knowledge. And the result showed that the higher level of health knowledge awareness with the better health behavior.
Conclusion: The application of latent profile model is extended to the field of health education. It can identify the heterogeneous subgroups of different health knowledge awareness effectively, which can indicate the key of health education programmes.
Keywords: adult residents; health behavior; health knowledge; latent profile model.