Objective To explore the effects of health information literacy (HIL), perceived benefits and perceived risk on the willingness to use nursing skills of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in elderly residents.

Methods From August to December 2022, 180 elderly residents were randomly selected from the Physical Examination Center of a grade A hospital in Yangzhou of Jiangsu Province by convenient sampling method. The questionnaire of general situation, Scale of HIL of TCM Health Care, and Questionnaire on the Acceptance of TCM Nursing Technology in Middle-aged and Elderly Residents in Community. The influence factors were analyzed by Chi-square test and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, and the path relationship was constructed by structural equation model.

Results A total of 151 valid questionnaires were collected. Education level, self-evaluation of health, the acceptance scores of participants receiving the TCM nursing skills or not, the health information literacy in TCM, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and use concerns were the influencing factors of the willingness of elderly residents, which could explain 54.30% of the total variation. Perceived benefit and perceived risk both had mediated effects between health information literacy and willingness to use, accounting for 67.48% and 32.52% of the total effect, respectively.

Conclusion In the process of the guidance and promotion of TCM nursing skills, medical institution should pay attention to the influence mechanism of health information literacy, perceived benefits and perceived risk on the use willingness of elderly residents, and improve the service model.