Adequate Health Literacy Levels Research Articles

Evaluation of health literacy levels and COVID-19 awareness among tuberculosis patients.

For Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 infections, whose transmission modes and preventive measures are similar, compliance with preventive measures and treatment is closely related to Health Literacy (HL) levels. This study aimed to evaluate the HL levels, and COVID-19 awareness of TB patients treated and followed up in TB Dispensaries serving under the Çankaya District Health Directorate of Ankara Province. A questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 knowledge level questions, and Health literacy scale-European union-Q16 questions were applied face-to-face to the registered TB patients. Mann-Whitney U and Spearman Correlation tests were used in the analysis. The mean age of the 107 participants (response rate: 89.1%) was 48.4 years; 42.1% were women. 56.5% of the patients were newly diagnosed, and 11.1% had resistant TB. 43.5% of the participants have had COVID-19; 23.1% thought they had disruptions in their TB treatment period due to the pandemic. The HL level of 23.1% was adequate. There was a moderate positive correlation between the HL scale score and the COVID-19 knowledge level questions (r = 0.468; p < 0.001). COVID-19 knowledge level was higher in those with adequate HL levels (p < 0.001). The higher level of knowledge about COVID-19 in TB patients with sufficient HL levels suggests the importance of increasing the HL order in the effective fight against the pandemic and possible new outbreaks.

Levels of Health Literacy and Associated Factors Among Adults in a Rural Municipality of Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study.

Health literacy is crucial in maintaining good health and well-being, yet community-based studies on health literacy in Nepal are scarce. This study aimed to assess the level of health literacy and identify associated factors among adults in Rasuwa, Nepal. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 253 adults aged above 18 years residing in Kalika Rural Municipality, Rasuwa. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Psychometric Assessment of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16). Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate independent correlates of health literacy levels. The mean ± SD age of participants was 46.3 ± 16 years. Only about a quarter (23.3%) of participants had adequate health literacy. The participants aged ≤ 45 years (aOR:1.9,95% CI: 1.0-3.6), people who perceived their health status as satisfactory (aOR: 3.1,95% CI: 1.5-6.3), had satisfactory self-rated financial status (aOR: 2.9,95% CI: 1.5-5.5), had satisfactory level of self- related esteem (aOR = 2.7,95% CI: 1.2-6.2), had a stable income (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI:1.0-3.5) were more likely to demonstrate adequate health literacy level. Conversely, illiterate participants (aOR: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.04-0.4) and those engaged in agriculture (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9) had lower odds of having adequate health literacy. This study highlights inadequate health literacy status among approximately three-quarters of the participants. Factors such as age, self-rated health status, financial stability, self-esteem, and income were associated with health literacy levels. These findings underscore the importance of addressing socio-economic and individual factors in promoting health literacy initiatives, particularly targeting vulnerable populations, to improve overall health outcomes and healthcare utilization.

Coronavirus-related health literacy level of Turkish adults: psychometric properties of the scale.

An adequate level of health literacy enables people to adopt protective behaviors to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Validated instruments are desired to assess such reactions. This study aims to determine the level of health literacy and validity and reliability of the Coronavirus-Related Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-COVID-Q22) adapted to Turkish. The present study was carried out with 452 participants in Turkey using an online survey. The scale was translated from English to Turkish using the back-translation technique. The cultural adaptation was outlined in the context of establishing the validity and reliability of the instruments. A coronavirus-related health literacy measure was validated (HLS-COVID-Q22) for the Turkish population through exploratory factorial analysis, followed by a confirmatory factorial analysis. The coronavirus-related health literacy level of the participants was found to be 2.92 (± 0.51). Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be 0.95. A four-factor solution was confirmed with eigenvalues > 1.0, suggesting a four-factor solution and explaining 68.84% of the total variance. It was determined that the χ2/df and root mean square residual, root mean square error of approximation and comparative fit index values in the last model had a good fit and that the normed fit index, goodness-of-fit index and adjusted goodness-of-fit index values were acceptable. The coronavirus-related health literacy level of Turkish adults was moderate. HLS-COVID-Q22 was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring coronavirus-related health literacy in the Turkish population. Promoting population-based health literacy and making decisions on accurate and reliable information are important in coping with the epidemic.

Health literacy among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates: The Mutaba'ah study.

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals can obtain, process, understand, and communicate health-related information. Health literacy among pregnant women, in particular, may have a significant impact on maternal and child health. In the United Arab Emirates, no previous studies have been carried out to investigate the health literacy levels of pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate antenatal health literacy levels and identify associated factors among pregnant Emirati women in the United Arab Emirates. This analysis was based on the baseline cross-sectional data for pregnant women participating in the prospective cohort Mutaba'ah Study, recruited between May 2017 and August 2022. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire during their antenatal visits that collected sociodemographic and pregnancy-related information. Adequacy of health literacy was assessed using the BRIEF health literacy screening tool with adequate health literacy defined as a score ⩾ 17. Regression modeling investigated the association between the pregnant women characteristics with having adequate health literacy level (ability to read and comprehend most patient education materials). A total of 2694 responses to the BRIEF health literacy screening tool were analyzed. Approximately, three-quarters (71.6%) of respondents showed adequate health literacy, followed by marginal (22.8%), and limited (5.6%) health literacy levels, respectively. Higher education levels (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.46-2.08), employment (adjusted odds ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval = 1.10-1.65), and adequate social support (adjusted odds ratio = 1.69, 95% confidence interval = 1.26-2.28) were associated with adequate health literacy levels. Participants who expressed worry about birth were less likely to have adequate literacy levels (adjusted odds ratio = 0.70, 95% confidence interval = 0.58-0.85). Nearly three-quarters of pregnant women have adequate health literacy. Nevertheless, measures including policies to sustain and enhance health literacy levels among all expectant mothers are required, with a specific focus on those having limited health literacy.

Relationship between health literacy and health-related quality of life in Korean adults with chronic diseases.

Inadequate health literacy is a risk factor for poor health outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). So far, the impact of health literacy on HRQoL has been examined for only a few chronic conditions. In this contribution, the relationship between health literacy and HRQoL in Korean adults with chronic conditions is examined using data of the cross-sectional Korea Health Panel Survey from 2021. Health literacy was measured with the 16-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16) and HRQoL with the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). Multiple linear regression model was run for the EQ-5D index as the dependent variable. Multiple logistic regression models were implemented for responses to the individual EQ-5D items. 30.8%, 24.6%, and 44.6% of participants had inadequate, marginal, and adequate levels of health literacy, respectively. The EQ-5D index increases with marginal (B = 0.018, p<0.001) and adequate literacy (B = 0.017, p<0.001) compared to inadequate literacy. People with adequate or marginal literacy were more likely to report no problem with mobility (odds ration [OR] = 1.5; p<0.001), self-care (OR = 1.6; p<0.05), and usual activities (OR = 1.6 for adequate; OR = 1.4 for marginal; p<0.01) than those with inadequate literacy. Adequate health literacy was associated with an increased likelihood of having no problem with anxiety and depression (OR = 1.4; p<0.05). In conclusion, inadequate health literacy is prevalent among Korean adults with chronic diseases. Adequate health literacy is associated with better HRQoL and a protective factor for four dimensions of EQ-5D (mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression).

Prevalence and determinants of health literacy among the adult population of Qatar.

Health literacy (HL) is both a direct determinant and a mediator of health outcomes. Research on the prevalence and determinants of HL in terms of its functional, communicative, and critical domains is scarce in the state of Qatar and its surrounding regions. Thus, this study aims to fill the knowledge gap in this area, estimate the levels of functional, communicative, and critical health literacy among the general adult population, and identify its determinants in the state of Qatar. An analytical cross-sectional study with a disproportionate stratified random sampling technique was conducted in 2022. A representative sample of phone numbers was obtained from the Cerner database at Hamad Medical Corporation and approached via well-trained data collectors. A socio-demographic and health-relevant factor questionnaire and the validated All Aspects of Health Literacy scale (AAHLS) were used to collect the data on functional, communicative, and critical HL and their determinants. Descriptive analysis, independent sample t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression were used and yielded the outcomes on HL levels as low, adequate, and high in percentages and the HL determinants. A total of 770 participants were included. The study found that 41.5%, 29.3%, and 29.2% of them have adequate, high, and low overall HL levels consecutively. People who participated in the study are older adult, are of Arabic ethnicity, are of Qatari ethnicity, have a lower level of education, have close relatives with a lower level of education, have a lower income, are non-migrants, are not living within a family, sought medical care within the last week, and who do not know if they have a chronic disease or do not have lower overall HL levels compared to the other groups. After linear regression analysis, only the participant's level of education and "last time sought medical care within last week" variable predict the overall HL score. Almost half of Qatar's adult population has an adequate HL level, comparable to the HL levels in other regions, despite the limitation in comparison due to variation in context and the HL measurement tools used. The possible determinants are amenable factors to focus on while designing HL interventions and providing healthcare.

The relationship between parental health literacy levels and anthropometric measurements of children in Turkey

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the relationship between parental health literacy levels and anthropometric measurements of children in Turkey.MethodsThe research was of cross-sectional/correlational design and carried out with 378 consenting parents registered at a Family Health Center. A Sociodemographic Data Form and the Health Literacy Scale for Turkey-32 was used to collect the study data. Data collection was completed at face-to-face interviews held in the consultation department of the family health center. The data were analyzed with the chi-square test and Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis.ResultsIt was determined that parental health literacy levels were associated with level of education, income status and the state of the parents’ employment (p < .05). A relationship was also found between adequate levels of parental health literacy and the health status, weight and height standard deviation scores by age of the parents’ children (p < .05).ConclusionThis study found that adequate levels of parental health literacy were significantly lower than the European average. The study found that adequate parental health literacy had a positive effect on children’s anthropometric measurements. Health institutions and health professionals should plan training programs to improve the health literacy of parents when they apply to health institutions.

Findings of the German COVID-19 Health Literacy school principal study

Abstract Background The education sector faced tremendous challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring adjustments to meet the needs of an unprecedented public health emergency, while also maintaining school health promotion measures. School principals are key actors to lead, drive, and implement school health promotion activities in their setting. Higher school principal health literacy is known to be a predictor for the implementation of school health promotion. The international COVID-HL school principal study was implemented to assess corona-specific health literacy of principals and investigate assocaitions with school health promotion. Methods Findings from Germany, that were generated by employing an online survey in school principals during the third infection wave from March to April 2021 in four federal states, will be discussed. Sociodemographics, health literacy, and implementation of school health promotion were measured using self-report tools. Descriptive statistics and variance analyses were conducted. Results The survey was completed by N = 2186 school principals. While 60.5% showed an adequate health literacy level, 31.4% showed problematic, and 8.1% even inadequate levels. For the subscale finding, 75.4% showed an adequate level, whereas only 50.5% demonstrated adequate levels regarding information appraisal. Welch's ANOVA indicated significant differences between the health literacy levels and the implementation rate of school health promotion and prevention measures regarding students (p &amp;lt; 0.001; η2=0.054), school staff (p &amp;lt; 0.001; η2=0.015) and school (p &amp;lt; 0.001; η2=0.017). Conclusions School principals demonstrated adequate corona-specific health literacy. The most difficulties were indicated when appraising health information in the context of the pandemic. Principals with higher health literacy are more likely to implement school health promotion measures than those with lower levels, making health literacy an important public health and education target.

Health Literacy and Preventive Behaviors towards COVID-19 among Village Health Volunteers and Residents in Urban and Rural Areas of Upper Southern Thailand

This study aimed to assess health literacy (HL), preventive behaviors (PBs), and the factors associated with PBs toward COVID-19 among village health volunteers (VHVs) and residents in urban and rural areas in the upper south of Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted using valid questionnaires administered using an online platform. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and binary logistic regression analysis. A total of 846 people participated in this study, and 62.8% of participants had an adequate level of HL. Furthermore, 55.0% of participants had an adequate level of PBs. Among VHVs, PB levels were adequate, whereas among residents, they were inadequate. Moreover, among VHVs, underlying diseases (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.77, 95% CI: 1.13–2.76), access to HL (adjusted OR: 4.28, 95% CI: 1.42–12.88), appraisal of HL (adjusted OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.90–5.02), and application of HL (adjusted OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.52–4.12) were associated with COVID-19 PB. Additionally, among residents, only marital status (adjusted OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.04–2.44), appraisal of HL (adjusted OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.18–2.84), and application of HL (adjusted OR: 3.85, 95% CI: 2.39–6.20) were associated with PBs towards COVID-19. Furthermore, individuals with inadequate HL demonstrated noteworthy significance in all dimensions of PBs. To prioritize and optimize preventive programs aimed at enhancing PBs, the government must take proactive initiatives in implementing robust health communication strategies across diverse media platforms, both in the present and future.

Investigating Health Literacy Level and Related Factors Among Adults in Qom

Background: Health literacy (HL) is one of the main determinants of health behaviors. It is influenced by various individual and social factors. Inadequate health literacy is generally prevalent though its levels may vary among people in different societies. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the health literacy level of adult people in Qom, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2020 in Qom to investigate the HL level among adult people. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the questionnaire was distributed using social media and small message service (SMS) to obtain the most heterogeneous sample possible. Then, a total of 488 individuals were recruited. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 and adopting a linear regression model to determine the factors influencing HL. P-values &lt; 5% were considered statistically significant. Results: Results showed that inadequate, moderate, and adequate levels of HL among participants were 14.3%, 60.5%, and 25.2%, respectively. Gender and level of education were significantly associated with HL at a 95% confidence interval. Conclusions: It was concluded that the majority of the study population enjoyed moderate and high HL levels. Due to the exclusion of illiterate individuals from this study, however, HL remained a challenge to adopting the health behaviors. Therefore, it was recommended that an effective training program should be developed and conducted to educate individuals with lower education levels and older people about HL.

Health Literacy Among University Students in Shaanxi Province of China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

An adequate level of health literacy will help university students to better respond to public health emergencies and reduce unintended harm caused by public health events. The objective of this study was to assess the health literacy levels of students from Universities of Shaanxi province of China, in order to provide a basis for the development of health literacy promotion plan for university students. An online cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted at five universities in Shaanxi Province of China on the Wen-Juan-Xing online platform. A purposive sampling method was used to 1578 students via self-administered questionnaire. Comparisons of means were made using the t-test and ANOVA, and comparisons of ratios or composition ratios were made using the χ2 test. The mean score for health literacy was (105.33±10.14) out of 135, and the mean scores for the three dimensions of health knowledge, attitudes and practices were (36.093±4.192), (34.178±4.227) and (35.059±4.515) respectively. Of the total sample, 39.2% were classified as sufficient in health literacy. Female students had higher health literacy level than male students (t=4.064, p=0.044), lower grade students scored higher than higher grade (F=3.194, p=0.013), students from urban cities scored higher than those who came from rural areas (t=16.376, p<0.001), and university students with health education experience scored higher than those without (t=24.389, p<0.001). University students' health literacy is closely related to their gender, grades, family location and health education experience.

HEALTH LITERACY LEVEL OF A PROVINCE AND FACTORS AFFECTING IT

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the level of health literacy and related factors in Bursa. Methods: It was determined by the simple random random sampling method from the population of the Family Physicians in Bursa and the 17 districts of Bursa were weighted according to their populations, and the districts where less than 50 questionnaires would be applied were excluded from the scope of the study. In June-July 2018, 2200 people were surveyed, 188 surveys were excluded from the research due to inadequacies in the data and a total of 2012 surveys were evaluated. Results: As a result of the logistic regression analysis of the factors age, education, health status, income level and reading habits were found to be associated with having sufficient health literacy level. Accordingly, adequate level of health literacy; in individuals aged 15- 44, 1.25 times compared to individuals aged 45 and over, 1.36 times more than those with a high school or higher education, secondary school and below, 1.81 times more than those with good health and poor health, it was observed that it was 1.32 times higher in those with a good income level than those with a low income level and 1.45 times more in those with a habit of reading books than in those without a habit of reading. Conclusion: In our health literacy study conducted in Bursa province, we showed the relationship between age, education status, income level, education level, reading habits and health literacy. Health literacy; a concept that has been put forward for the last twenty years for health service delivery, is known to be effective in a wide process ranging from cost-effective patient-physician satisfaction, where it can change the results of health service expectations. In order to protect the society without the need for rehabilitation without getting sick for a total welfare, screening and education activities should increasingly continue

Relationship between health literacy and self care management in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Indonesia

Health literacy is considered one of the influencing factors to self-care management in people with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. American Diabetes Association stated that complications in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus tend to increase and get worse due to the inability to manage the disease independently. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy and self-care management in the Health Centers in Makassar City. Measurements using the HLS-Q16 instrument for health literacy and diabetes self-management questionnaire (DSMQ) for self-care management. Data was analyzed by using fisher’s exact test. The results showed an adequate level of health literacy with 71 respondents and a low level of self-care management with 74 respondents from 126 respondents and there was a relationship between health literacy and self-care management with p-value = 0.004 &lt;0.05. These findings can be additional information material to design programs and training that support the improvement

Colorectal cancer screening: understanding the needs of the pre-screening group.

For the last three decades, although colorectal cancer incidence has been decreasing in those over 50 years of age, it has been increasing in those under 50 included in the pre-screening group (PSG). The present study aims to explain the screening-related factors and compliance of individuals in PSG who are not included in the colorectal cancer screening programme. This cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 323 participants, 143 of whom were from the pre-screening group (40-49 years), and 180 from the screening included group (SIG) (50-70 years). Individuals included in PSG were more likely to have accepted that both faecal occult blood test (FOBT) (2.23 ± 1.22 vs. 1.89 ± 1.33, p = 0.018) and colonoscopy (2.37 ± 0.97 vs. 2.02 ± 1.14, p = 0.003) were useful and suitable screening tests in colorectal cancer. Adequate health literacy (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.8-10.0, p = 0.001) and better education level (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3-8.4, p = 0.010) were factors of increased knowledge of colorectal cancer screening. The findings show that PSG has different characteristics than SIG and may be more fitting in the colorectal cancer screening programme if included.

Evaluation of Health Literacy and Its Associated Factors in Paramedical Students

Introduction: Low levels of health literacy lead to reduced health, increased length of hospital stays, and increased use of emergency services in patients and impose higher medical costs on individuals. Considering the effect of paramedical students' health literacy on community health promotion, this study aimed to determine the level of health literacy and its associated factors in paramedical students.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 310 paramedical students during a two-month period from January to March 2021. The data collection tool was the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) questionnaire. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the questionnaire was designed online, and its link was provided to students.Results: Among the participants, 247 (79.7%) cases were female, and 63 (20.3%) cases were male with a mean age of 21.16 ± 1.97 years. According to the results, 3.9% of the students had inadequate health literacy, 37.3% had not so adequate health literacy, 46.6% had adequate health literacy, and 12.2% had excellent health literacy. The results of ANOVA and t-test showed a significant association between the mean total health literacy score of students and their age, gender, and semester (P &lt;0.05).Conclusion: This study findings showed that more than half of the participating students had adequate and excellent levels of health literacy. Since paramedical students are promoters of health in the community, more attention should be paid to the education of these individuals. Therefore, it is necessary to empower them in the field of health literacy.

Health literacy levels in patients with type 2 diabetes in an affluent Gulf country: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo identify health literacy levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).InterventionNationwide cross-sectional survey.Setting and participantsIndividuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending outpatient diabetes...

Health Literacy as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Position and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living in France.

In recent decades, several research studies have mentioned a potential mediating effect of health literacy (HL) on the relationship between socioeconomic position and health prevention behaviors. However, no study to date has investigated this hypothesis on HIV prevention behaviors. The present study aimed to evaluate whether HL mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in men who have sex with men (MSM). The study is based on data collected in the Enquête Rapport au Sexe [report to sex] 2019 survey, an anonymous, self-administered online cross-sectional survey in France conducted between February 16, 2019 and March 31, 2019. Data on education level and perceived financial situation were used as measures of SES, whereas HL was assessed from the Health Literacy Questionnaire's "ability to actively engage with health care providers" scale. Mediation analyses were performed with a model-based causal moderated mediation analysis package in R software. Analyses were adjusted for age, place of residence, marital status, and social support. The study sample included 13,629 MSM. Median age was 32 years. The majority had an education level higher than upper secondary school (78%) and an adequate HL level (73%). Almost two-thirds perceived their financial situation as comfortable (62%). Overall, PrEP uptake was low (9.5%). The analyses did not show a mediating effect of HL on the relationship between education and PrEP uptake. However, a total mediation effect of HL was observed on the relationship between perceived financial situation and uptake. In the context of PrEP uptake, MSM ability to actively engage with health care providers may offset the effect of a difficult financial situation. In the current French context, where PrEP is now also available in general practitioner settings, this result could inform the development of training and support policies for health professionals and the way in which sexual health issues are addressed in consultations. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2023;7(1):e61-e70.].

Performance motivation and Dhammanamai health literacy according to Thai traditional medicine among village health volunteers in Uthaithani province

This cross-sectional study aimed to explain levels of Dhammanamai health literacy, investigate relevant factors, and identify the predicting factors of Dhammanamai health literacy according to Thai traditional medicine among village health volunteers (VHVs). The reliability and validity from 390 VHVs were selected by proportional multi-stage sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire from March - May 2022 in Uthaithani Province, Thailand. Data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test and logistic regression. The results of the study showed that most of the VHVs had adequate levels of Dhammanamai health literacy ( X ̅= 61.22, SD. = 13.87), while gender (p = 0.023), occupation (p = 0.026), monthly income (p = 0.004), ability to use a smartphone/computer (p = 0.029), recognition of volunteer roles and duties (p &lt; 0.001), performance motivation (p &lt; 0.001), and social support (p &lt; 0.001) were significantly related to Dhammanamai health literacy. The predicting factors that influenced Dhammanamai health literacy among VHVs were as follows: 1) performance motivation (OR= 1.175, CI=1.055–1.309); 2) age (OR= 1.041, CI=1.012–1.071); 3) occupation (OR= 1.878, CI=1.179–2.990). A very strong variable was performance motivation. In combination, all these factors could predict the Dhammanamai health literacy of the VHVs at 20.7%. We recommend interventions on performance motivation, age, and occupation with the organization of a program to promote Dhammanamai health literacy for VHVs to be ready to perform their duties in the community, including the provision of knowledge to the public.

Usability of an animated diabetes information tool for patients with different health literacy levels: a qualitative study.

Most currently available medication self-management support tools do not meet the needs of patients with limited health literacy. Recently, tools that are better tailored to the needs of patients with limited health literacy have been developed. This study aimed to assess the usability of an animated diabetes information tool by patients with diabetes with limited and adequate health literacy levels. Participants with limited and adequate health literacy levels were selected based on three health literacy questions in a screening interview, and asked to use the tool three times a week, after which individual semistructured interviews were conducted. The interview topics were based on the technology acceptance model (i.e. perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention to use). Twenty-five patients with diabetes were included in the study. All participants perceived the tool as easy to use due to a clear overview of topics and only personalized information being provided. Those with limited health literacy indicated that they had learned from the tool and had the intention to continue using it in the future. These participants also expressed the need for the tool to be more actively offered by healthcare professionals, while participants with adequate health literacy expressed the need for more in-depth information. The tailored self-management support tool was perceived as usable by all participants. To better serve them, the tool could be further improved by addressing the additional needs of people with limited as well as adequate health literacy.

Health literacy in a high income Arab country: A nation-wide cross-sectional survey study.

IntroductionHealth literacy is a powerful predictor of health outcomes, but remains a global challenge. There is a paucity of published data and limited understanding of the health literacy of patients in the Middle East. The purpose of this study was to assess the patient health literacy levels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and identify associated demographic characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of adult patients attending public and private hospitals and primary care clinics was conducted across the UAE between January 2019 and May 2020. Chi-square test was used to analyze the association between health literacy and demographic variables. Ordinal regression was adopted to analyze the data for statistically significant independent variables.Results2349 of 2971 patients responded (79% response rate). Slightly less than one-quarter (23.9%) of patients surveyed demonstrated adequate health literacy. Over a third of women respondents (31.7%) possessed adequate health literacy, as compared to only 13% of men surveyed (p<0.001). Participant age was significantly (p<0.001) associated with health literacy levels, with approximately 50% of participants above age 50 years (51–75 years) demonstrating inadequate health literacy. Education was also positively correlated with health literacy. Adequate health literacy levels were twofold higher (30.5%, p<0.001) in patients with high school education, as compared to patients without secondary education.ConclusionsThe high proportion of patients with inadequate health literacy in our study confirms that the health literacy deficit is a challenge in the UAE. Targeted interventions are needed to improve health literacy, particularly for older individuals, to optimize healthcare utilization and improve individual and population health outcomes.