A cross-sectional study on health-related knowledge and skills and its influencing factors among the Chinese college students

Abstract

To investigate the status on health-related knowledge and skills among the college students. 5070 Chinese students from 28 universities or colleges were sampled, using the multiple-stage stratified, purposive and convenient mixed sampling method. A cross-sectional investigation on health literacy was conducted with self-designed questionnaire, and SPSS 13.0 was used to statistically analyze the data. The average scores on health-related related knowledge and skills among the subjects was 74.139 ± 12.0223, with 38.4% on basic health- related literacy (scores ≥ 80). The rate (1.1%) of passing the margin line set for the awareness on chronic disease prevention appeared to be the lowest. And there noticed significant differences (P < 0.05) in different regions, types, and genders on the basic health-related knowledge and skills as well as on the prevalence rates of total and each dimensional health-related literacy among universities and colleges. Regions and types of universities and colleges were the main influencing factors on the levels of health-related knowledge and skills among the college students. The prevalence of basic health-related knowledge and skills was low and the prevalence rates of health-related knowledge and skills were differently distributed among student populations under study.