The level of health literacy of students at medical faculties

Abstract

IntroductionHealth literacy (HL) is a key concept for interventions that aim at improving the health of individuals and populations, but it is also a way to improve the health care system, especially in the field of interaction between healthcare providers and patients. The aim of the study was to determine the level of health literacy among students of medical faculties. MethodsA cross-sectional study was realized at three faculties of medicine in the academic year 2015/2016. In the study there were 390 students of medicine (male 41.5%, Slovak students 50.1%) with an average age of 23 (SD=3). We administered the health literacy questionnaire (HLQ) with items including school characteristics and health status. We tested associations between HL and sex, year of study, study and health status with Pearson χ2 test in statistical program SPSS 21.0. ResultsThe surveyed students more often had an optimal HL, with deficiencies in the appraisal of health information and the ability to actively cooperate with healthcare (HC) providers. Women more often had the deficiency of HL in cooperation with HC providers and navigation in the HC system. Students of the first to third grade of study had a more frequent deficiency of HL in information to manage health and understanding the health information (compared with higher year of study). Foreign students more often had an optimal level of HL in social support in health, cooperation with HC providers and in navigating the HC system. Health respondents more often had a deficiency of HL in understanding health information when compared to students who had a chronic disease/health complications. ConclusionWe found that students of medical faculties demonstrate a lack of HL, which is mainly related to the ability to cooperate with HC providers, to assess and understand health information, but also to navigate the HC system. On the basis of our findings, we will be able to develop an appropriate intervention to improve HL in a targeted group of medical faculty students.