Background As a key to economic and social development, occupational groups with low levels of occupational health literacy (OHL) are considered vulnerable groups with high risks of work-related diseases and injuries. Therefore, improving the OHL of these groups is of great significance in reducing the burden on public health.

Objective To master the four dimensional OHL levels and influencing factors of the key groups in Fuling District, Chongqing, and provide a basis for formulating health education programs for occupational groups in the future.

Methods The Occupational Health Literacy Questionnaire of Key Populations was distributed online to investigate the key occupational groups in Fuling District through stratified cluster sampling. The survey collected data on basic demographic information, legal knowledge of occupational health, basic knowledge of occupational health protection, basic skills of occupational health protection, and healthy working style and behavior. Univariate analysis, logistic regression, and nomogram were used to analyze the above data.

Results This survey distributed 4824 questionnaires, of which 4677 were valid, with a recovery rate of 97.0%. The dimensional OHL levels of key occupational groups in Fuling District from high to low were: healthy working style and behavior (79.1%), basic knowledge of occupational health protection (78.4%), legal knowledge of occupational health protection (43.3%), and basic skills of occupational health protection (37.6%). The results of logistic regression showed that the occupational health legal knowledge levels in the groups of high school/vocational high school/technical secondary school and above (reference: primary school and below) (OR=1.47, 95%CI: 1.05, 2.05), ≥3000 yuan of monthly income (reference: <3000 yuan of monthly income) (OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.84), and medium enterprises (reference: micro enterprises) (OR=1.84, 95%CI: 1.29, 2.63) were higher; the occupational health legal knowledge level in the electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply industry was lower than that in the mining industry (OR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.47, 0.97); the basic knowledge levels of occupational health protection in the groups of ≥ 3 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.65, 0.94) and medium enterprises (reference: large enterprises) (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.64, 0.95) were lower; the basic knowledge level of occupational health protection in the ethnic minorities was higher than that in the Han ethnic group (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.04, 2.87); the occupational health protection basic skill level in the group of ≥ 3 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.69, 95%CI: 0.60, 0.79) was higher; the level of healthy working style and behavior in the group of ≥ 11 years of service (reference: < 3 years of service) (OR=0.73, 95%CI: 0.59, 0.89) was lower; the level of healthy working style and behavior in the group of high school/vocational high school/technical secondary school and above (reference: primary school and below) (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.15, 2.23) was higher. The nomogram showed that educational level and monthly income had the greatest impact on the occupational health legal knowledge level; length of service had the greatest impact on the basic knowledge of occupational health protection level and the healthy working style and behavior level.

Conclusion In the future, the focus of health education and health promotion in Fuling District should be implemented to improve the basic skills of occupational health protection and the legal knowledge of occupational health, especially for workers with low education, low income, from micro enterprises, and on the job, so as to improve their skills of occupational health protection and legal knowledge, and to control the occurrence of occupational or work-related diseases.