Health Literacy in Lower Limb Orthopedic Trauma Patients in Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Health literacy and knowledge is the persons’ capabilities which allow them to understand basic health information to make their health decisions. Low understanding about the patients own condition is more associated with low medical knowledge and bad disease outcomes. Instructions should be given to patients for recovery to avoid complications. Aim: To evaluate health knowledge of orthopedic trauma patients regarding their own condition in two level 1 Trauma centers in Riyadh, KSA and the association between health knowledge and patients demographics. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 102 participants from 2 level 1 Trauma centers in Riyadh, in the period from the 1st of July 2018 to the 30th of September 2018. A survey was given to participants upon discharge after receiving discharge instruction. Results: 60.8% of the individuals had good knowledge. The mean rank score of males was 53.88, while for females it was 48.71, the highest mean rank was found in the age group 25-30 years old and it was 57.9, the highest mean rank regarding level of education was 56.93 for those with intermediate education and those with monthly income 5000 to 10000 SR had the highest score (64.2). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of health knowledge between orthopedic trauma patients regarding their own condition in Riyadh, KSA. Further multi center studies with a larger population should be conducted in order to asses and improve the health knowledge regarding the patients own condition among orthopedic patients and other specialties.