Abstract
Background and Objective: Health literacy and health promoting behaviors are among the most important characters of health and their utilization can increase health behaviors, improve access to health care and they are essential for preserve and control the health. Hence, this study was done to determine the relationship between health literacy and health promoting behaviors among students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This study was done by descriptive-analytic method, on 382 students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Data were collected by use of iraniana dult Health literacy questionnaire (HELIA) and Health Promoting Behaviors (HPLP-ll).Results: The total mean score of students’ health literacy was 126.13 (19.28). 67% (n = 260) of them, had excellent and desirable health literacy and total score of health promoting behaviors and the total score of health promoting behaviors was evaluated undesirable, with 51.1% of achievable score. Also according to the findings, there was a positive and significant correlation between health promoting behaviors and dimensions of health literacy included: accessibility (r = 0.404), reading (r = 0.324), perception and understanding (r = 0.354), evaluation (r = 0.410), decision making and use of health information (r = 0.552) (P <0.01). Also, there was a positive and significant correlation between health promoting behaviors and all dimensions of health literacy (P <0.01).Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, students’ health literacy behaviors increased with increasing health literacy. Therefore, the use of design and performance of educational interventions is suggested to empower students in the field of health literacy.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have