Evaluation of Health Literacy and Therapy Adherence Levels in the Mealhada Municipality Population

Abstract

Abstract Introduction In order to ensure self-care, the individual must be able to decide, for example, on the lifestyle to adopt. These capacities and the capacities to take their share of responsibility in public health issues are called health literacy. In the same way, your attitude towards the treatments imposed on you is also crucial to the successful treatment and / or prevention of pathologies. In this case we talk about adherence to therapy. Objectives To clarify the concepts Health Literacy and Therapy Adherence and identify measurement measures of each concept. In addition to measuring these variables, the study also aimed at investigating the existence of a relationship between health literacy levels and levels of adherence to therapy. Methodology Through the application of a measurement tool, consisting of three validated instruments, in a pharmacy in the municipality of Mealhada, to 377 individuals residing there. To evaluate the levels of Health Literacy, two tests were applied: HLS-EU-PT (European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire - Portugal) and METER (Medical Term Recognition Test). The first, quite comprehensive and previously applied at European level, of self-perception, and the second more objective. The third measurement instrument used was the MAT (Treatment Adherence Measure) to assess adherence to therapy. Results 59.2% of individuals from Mealhada County have a problematic or inadequate index of health literacy. Compliance rates correspond to 67.9%. In the sample studied, as regards non-adherents, it is the individuals with limited literacy that present the highest non-adherence rate (HLS-EU-PT 71.1%; METER 61.2%). In each of the three domains assessed by the HLS-EU-PT, in the individuals with adequate levels of literacy, the percentage of adherents is always higher than non-adherents. Conclusion There is a correlation between health literacy levels and adherence levels. Low levels of health literacy had a negative impact on treatment adherence.