Abstract
Health literacy (HL) is essential to access, comprehend, assess and use health data allowing patients to make better health and quality of life decisions. To assess the health literacy level of hemodialysis Egyptian patients, a cross-sectional study from March to September 2020 was conducted at 4 hemodialysis (HD) units on 439 patients. A translated questionnaire including demographic characteristics and health literacy components was conducted. This study adapted Nutbeam’s model incorporating critical health literacy, interactive health literacy, and functional health literacy. Health literacy of hemodialysis patients was satisfactory among 35.5% of the studied patients. The average total score of health literacy questionnaire was (15.53 ± 4.32) distributed as (2.90 ± 1.26) for functional literacy, (3.10 ± 1.26) for basic health knowledge, (1.65 ± 1.21) for communicative literacy, (2.53 ± 0.70) for interactive literacy, (1.75 ± 1.30) for advanced health knowledge, (1.74 ± 0.48) for critical literacy, and (1.83 ± 0.93) for patient safety. It was found that poor health literacy was associated with low income (OR = 2.54, CI 95%: 1.66_3.89, p p p p = 0.033). There was a prevalent low health literacy among the studied regular hemodialysis patients which was affected by education, age and income and in turn it affected the adherence to treatment. Understanding the linkage between HL and self-care attitudes should enhance efforts to improve hemodialysis outcomes.
Highlights
Dialysis has long been an important public health problem
Health literacy of hemodialysis patients was satisfactory among 35.5% of the studied patients
There was a prevalent low health literacy among the studied regular hemodialysis patients which was affected by education, age and income and in turn it affected the adherence to treatment
Summary
Useful health outcomes and self-care abilities can be effectively achieved by raising the health literacy of hemodialysis patients. Health literacy (HL) is essential to access, comprehend, assess and use health data allowing patients to make better decisions regarding their health and quality of life. Limited health literacy can hinder a patient’s ability to interact with health services and social networks in the right way, negatively affecting their health outcomes [1]. Limited health literacy has been linked to low medication adherence, increased hospitalization, morbidity and mortality [2]. It can be assumed that frequent and regular interactions with health systems and caregivers that are inherent in hemodialysis patient’s treatment have the potential to enhance HL [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
