Adolescent Health Literacy Research Articles

Effectiveness of Video and Leaflet Educational Media in Increasing Adolescent Mental Health Literacy

Mental health determines the well-being of adolescents, because adolescence is a time when major changes occur in the body, psychology and society. Mental health literacy is important to increase the capacity of adolescents to face unexpected challenges, for this reason education is needed to increase literacy. Delivering education requires interesting media so that information can be conveyed well, video media and leaflets can be used as educational media. The aim of this research is to determine the difference influence of video and leaflet-based on education of adolescent mental health literacy at Bintang Harapan Vocational School Bekasi. This research design uses a two-group pretest-posttest design without control. The sample for this research was taken using proportionate stratified random sampling with a total of 210 adolescents who were divided into105 adolescents ach in the video and leaflet education groups. Mental health literacy was measured using the MHL-q (Mental Health Literacy-Questionnaire) questionnaire. Data analysis used the independent t-test. The results of the research show that there is no difference in the effect of video and leaflet interventions on adolescent mental health literacy with p value = 0.253 (p> 0.005), so it can be concluded that video and leaflet-based education are equally influential in increasing adolescent mental health literacy. Confounding factors that influence adolescent mental health literacy are gender and access to information. It is recommended that video and leaflet educational media can be used as health education media, especially to increase mental health literacy in adolescents.

Health literacy and medication health literacy in adolescents: Highlights from HBSC/WHO

AbstractHealth literacy (HL) is an essential health determinant that could encourage the adoption of individual and community protective behaviours that contribute to public health. This study aims to analyse the associations between HL and medication HL (MHL) in 4015 adolescents from the Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children (HBSC/WHO). Data were collected from the HBSC/WHO questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multinomial logistic regression were performed. 62.4% of participants have a moderate level of HL and 29.1% have a high level of HL. The youngest boys, and those who have a low level of MHL in the different dimensions presented (expiration date, recycling, side effects, illegal sale and safety), have a low level of HL. The oldest girls have a moderate level of HL. Also, girls with a high level of MHL, reported a high level of HL. MHL, namely, the expiration date, recycling, side effects and safety dimensions in adolescents is significantly related to and positively associated with HL. The results will enable us to highlight to family professionals and public policies the importance of HL and MHL promotion in adolescents.

An Intersectional Analysis of Gender-Specific Barriers to Adolescent Health Literacy in South Africa

Various studies have shown that influencing factors such as gender, race, and socio-economic status could significantly impact adolescents’ health literacy in South Africa. The adolescent stage is crucial for acquiring and developing health-promoting knowledge and behaviors. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the gender-specific determinants that prevent adolescents from accessing, understanding, and utilizing health-related information and services through an intersectionality theoretical lens. This study used content analysis of secondary data from 2010 until 2023 from electronic databases such as SciELO, Google Scholar, the Directory of Open Access Journals, Scopus, and governmental reports. From the initial 102 articles and documents obtained from the search process, a total of 26 papers were included in this study. The results indicated that gender roles, cultural norms, heteronormativity, gender-based violence, and associated stigmatization are gender-specific barriers to adolescents’ health literacy in South Africa. Based on the study findings, I argue that multi-stakeholder engagement is needed to address the identified barriers and collaboratively develop and implement a gender-responsive health literacy programme that promotes equitable and non-judgmental access for young people to health information and services in South Africa.

An international interdisciplinary approach to developing video educational materials promoting mental health literacy among adolescents in the Philippines.

Adolescent mental ill-health is a common international challenge affecting both high- and lower-middle-income countries. The Republic of the Philippines enacted its first mental health law in 2019, underlining the importance of the promotion of adolescent mental health education in schools. In Japan, course instructions about mental ill-health were formulated in a Course of Study that reflects governmental curriculum guidelines. Embedded since 2022, the Course of Study aimed to promote an understanding of current issues of adolescent health. The National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Japan has been sharing experience of promoting public health practices and advancing medical technology in low- and middle-income countries, especially in the Western Pacific region. This paper describes the development process and content of these resources by an interdisciplinary team from Japan and the Philippines. The interdisciplinary team created an embedded mental health education programme using animated videos for the Philippine school curriculum to improve mental health literacy in adolescents. Two six-minute animated videos of age-relevant stories were created. The animation scenarios illustrate: 1) mental health problems and recovery; and 2) major symptoms of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Each animated video presents several items for discussion among students and/or teachers, both in class and online for students unable to attend school. Our efforts may provide good opportunities for enhancing adolescents' mental health activities in the Philippines. In the following steps, we should investigate the effectiveness of school-based MHL using these animated videos with rigorous evaluation methods.

Health Literacy of Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Parents of IBD Patients-Coping and Information Needs.

The number of children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing. Many chronically ill children and adolescents have low health literacy. Patient empowerment (PE) enables positive changes and control over one's disease through specific activities, information, and counseling. The CEDNA (IBD Needs Assessment) Survey aimed to provide the necessary data to improve PE in pediatric IBD (PIBD). Questionnaires were distributed to adolescent IBD patients and parents of children and adolescents with IBD throughout Germany. The answers were given anonymously. Based on the available data, a subgroup analysis was conducted in relation to the age of the patients and the period since diagnosis. For the parents' responses, the same age groups were analyzed for comparison with the patients' responses. From October 2021 to April 2022, 2810 questionnaires were distributed and 1158 questionnaires were completed (n = 708 parents [61.1%], n = 450 patients [38.9%]). The results indicate that health literacy in children with IBD is low. Significant gaps in knowledge of important IBD topics were identified, and a comparison of responses regarding preferred methods and timing of obtaining information revealed differences between patient and parent preferences. The greatest need for knowledge on IBD topics was found in the group of 16-17-year-old patients on transition (n = 214, 31.8%) and in the group of patients diagnosed 1-2 years ago on the causes of IBD (n = 288, 17.4%). The willingness to seek advice was unexpectedly low. The analysis of all findings according to the patient's age structure and duration since diagnosis can be used to enable age-appropriate communication at certain stages of the disease. This tailored information should increase patients' health literacy, improve their management of the disease, and reduce the burden on their families.

School as a space for nursing: a review of health literacy

Objective: To understand the role of school nursing in the context of child and adolescent health literacy. Methods: An integrative review using the Web of Science, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, Virtual Health Library databases, and search terms related to child and adolescent health, health literacy, and school nursing. No time or language limits were considered. Results: 419 articles were identified and, after excluding duplicates and applying the eligibility criteria, seven articles made up the final sample, none of them developed in Brazil. Despite being a field of research that is still little studied, the results revealed the positive impact of nursing in the school context in promoting physical and mental health literacy, preventing preventable illnesses, and managing chronic non-communicable diseases. This evidence leads to reflections on the recognition of school nursing in Brazil. Conclusion: Nurses are references in the implementation of health literacy programs and in the construction of health literate organizations. In the Brazilian context, there is an urgent need to expand the training of nurses trained to work in schools.

Adolescent eHealth Literacy

In adults, the literature indicates that health literacy is a robust predictor of health. However, there remains a paucity of literature regarding adolescent health literacy, based on Manganello’s framework for studying adolescent health literacy, one potentially related construct of adolescent health literacy is eHealth literacy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe (1) the relationship between adolescent health literacy and adolescent eHealth literacy and (2) the influencing factors of adolescent eHealth literacy. This is a cross-sectional, correlational study evaluating results from the online administration of the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument and eHEALS eHealth literacy instrument to 125 adolescents. Bivariate correlations and linear regression were performed to examine relationships among variables. There was a significant, negative correlation between eHEALS and NVS scores (r = −.304, p = .001). There were significant, positive relationships between eHEALS scores, age (r = .346, p < .01) and grade level (r = .354, p < .01). There was a significant, positive correlation between NVS scores and reading grade (r = .326, p = < .01). Reading grade and eHEALS scores were significant predictors of NVS scores (R = .093, F = 12.57, p < .001). Therefore, the influencing factors of adolescent health literacy and eHealth literacy are related, but inconsistent. Furthermore, the negative correlation between NVS and eHEALS scores demonstrates that adolescent health literacy and eHealth literacy are associated, but independent constructs. Further research is needed to better understand facilitators and barriers to both constructs as well as their relationship to each other.

The effect of health literacy-grounded web-based education on nutrition and exercise behaviours in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.

The research was conducted to measure the effect of health literacy-grounded web-based education program on health literacy, nutrition and exercise behaviours in adolescents. The increasing prevalence of obesity in adolescents is explained by a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Health literacy is essential for adolescents to maintain their healthy behaviours. The research was conducted as a parallel group randomized controlled trial. The study was completed by 114 adolescents (experimental = 42, control = 72). The Personal Information Form, the Health Literacy Scale for School-Age Children and the Nutrition and Exercise Subscales were used to collect data. A web-based education program was implemented. Two-way mixed design ANOVA with Bonferroni test was used to examine the group, time and group*time interaction of the measurements. There was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups regarding health literacy level, nutrition and exercise behaviours pre-test mean scores (p > 0.05). In the post-test, the mean scores of health literacy and nutrition behaviours in the experimental group were higher than the control group (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in exercise behaviours (p > 0.05). The power and effect size in mean scores changes for health literacy (99.8%, η2 = 0.039) and nutrition (99.8%, η2 = 0.039) were moderate. The study concluded that health literacy-grounded web-based education program increased the health literacy levels of adolescents and improved their nutritional behaviours; however, there was no sufficient change in exercise behaviours.

Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Scale: Development and Validation in Two Countries

Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Scale: Development and Validation in Two Countries

Parent–child conflict and adolescent health literacy in Mexico: Results from a nationwide dyad study in Mexico

ABSTRACT Research suggests that health literacy (HL) is critical in preventing and managing health problems. However, over half of adults in Mexico report having inadequate health literacy. Research suggests the parent–child relationship can be a key predictor of developmental competencies; however, little research has examined how dyadic family interactions relate to HL. This study examined whether parent–child relationship conflict was associated with adolescent health literacy among families living in Mexico. Data from a parent–child dyads in Mexico were gathered using online surveys (N = 746, 373 parent–child dyads). Our findings suggested that child-reported family conflict–but not parent-reported family conflict – was associated with lower adolescent health literacy. Researchers and practitioners should consider how parent–child conflict may impact adolescent health outcomes, and prioritise child reports in data collection.

The predictors of mental health literacy among adolescents students

AimThis study aimed to examine levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and associated factors among adolescents. MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted with a total of 650 students aged 11–18 years in three middle and three high schools. Data were collected using the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Scale and evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analysis to determine whether age, gender, and grade are predictive factors of MHL. ResultsThe mean age of the participants in the study was 16.8 ± 1.35 years, 55 % of the students were girls, and the mean MHL score was 3.96 ± 1.2, indicating moderate MHL. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the variables of age, gender, and grade explained 5.5 % of the variance in MHL score. When these variables were examined individually, gender and grade had no significant effect (p > 0.05), while older age was associated with higher MHL score (p < 0.05). ConclusionThe results of this study showed that MHL improved with age. MHL promotion is important in mental health resilience. Collaboration between school nurses, school counselors, and psychiatric nurses to provide mental health educational interventions may help reduce stigma and increase help-seeking behaviors.

IDF23-0545 Relationship between diabetes health literacy, self-efficacy and social anxiety of adolescents with type 1 diabetes

IDF23-0545 Relationship between diabetes health literacy, self-efficacy and social anxiety of adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health Literacy and Its Mechanism: The Mediating Effect of Parent-Child Relationship and the Moderating Effect of School Mental Health Service.

Adolescents' mental health literacy is a topic ofgrowinginterest and studies have begun to explore thefactors that influenceadolescents' mental health literacy. This study investigated the relationship between parents' mental health literacy and adolescents' mental health literacy,as well asthe mediating roles of parent-child relationship, and the moderating roles of school mental health service. Questionnaires were distributed to adolescents and their parents at two time points with an interval of one month. In the first survey, 835 parents completed a mental health literacy scale and a parent-child relationship scale. In the second, 841 adolescents completed a school mental health service questionnaire and an adolescent mental health literacy assessment questionnaire. A total of 617 paired data points were matched (parents' age: M = 40.47, SD = 5.10; adolescents' age: M = 13.34, SD = 0.99). Bootstrapping results showed that parents' mental health literacy was positively associated with adolescents' mental health literacy. In addition, parent-child intimacy mediated the relationship between parents' mental health literacy and adolescents' mental health literacy. School mental health service moderated therelationship between parents' mental health literacy and parent-child intimacyandadolescents' mental health literacy. Intergenerational transmission of mental health literacy from parents to adolescents and its conditions were revealed. These findings provide new insights for the intervention of adolescents' mental health literacy, and may lead future research to investigate the role of parents within the family context, as well as the influence of home-school cooperation on adolescents' mental health literacy.

Predisposing factors of health promotion behaviors and health literacy in adolescents: A cross-sectional design.

This study was designed to measure health promotion behaviors, health literacy (HL) levels, and their predisposing factors among adolescents. A cross-sectional design was used. The study was completed by 1046 students aged 11-14 years. Data were collected via the HL for School-Aged Children Scale and the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale. HL was significantly associated with gender, participation in sport activities, and health promotion behaviors. There was no confounding factor for HL. Adolescent health promotion behaviors were significantly associated with academic level, weight perception, participation in sport activities, and HL. Nurses could improve communication and decision-making skills related to health behaviors and learn how to obtain health-related knowledge to promote the health of adolescents.

Using co-design to develop the Adolescent Health Literacy Questionnaire for adolescents in Ireland.

Health literacy measurement studies are important for the success of health promotion efforts targeting adolescents. However, the majority of health literacy measurement tools were originally developed for adult populations and may not be reflective of health literacy in the context of adolescence. The present study sought to co-design a health literacy questionnaire and vignettes for adolescents in Ireland aged 12-18 years. This article describes the qualitative phase of the study. In 2019-2021, eight adolescents from the Irish Heart Foundation's Youth Advisory Panel participated in two concept mapping workshops during which they defined healthy living. Results of the thematic analysis indicated that adolescents defined 'healthy living' as a life that was balanced, prioritizing mental health and sleep. According to their definition, healthy living was comprised of six main constructs, namely, knowledge; sources of quality health information; facilitators and barriers; influence of others; self-efficacy, self-management and resilience; and citizenship and communication. These constructs were used to develop vignettes and items for the Adolescent Health Literacy Questionnaire (AHLQ). These were tested on a sample of 80 adolescents to check whether the respondents understood the items and vignettes as intended. Results of the nine cognitive interviews indicated that the adolescents understood the content of the 10 vignettes and 41 items. While the vignettes and AHLQ were developed with Irish adolescents, the approaches taken can be generalized to adolescents living in other countries. This will allow for the development of tailored and relevant solutions for health literacy development and health promotion for this sub-population.

Relationship Between Health Literacy and Addiction Susceptibility in High School Adolescents

Background: Adolescence is a high-risk period. Teenagers experience risky behaviors in this period, including using abusive drugs and addiction. Meanwhile, sufficient awareness helps a person to interpret and analyze health-threatening factors. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy and susceptibility to addiction in adolescents living in the western part of Tehran City, Iran. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was performed on 265 senior high school students in the western part of Tehran in 2021. The subjects were recruited by cluster random sampling. The study data were collected online using the addiction susceptibility questionnaire and health literacy measure for adolescents. The obtained data were sorted by frequency distribution, Mean±SD and analyzed utilizing the Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 16. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: Most study subjects (56.4%) were female. Their Mean±SD score of health literacy was 65.31±21.15. Among the subscales of health literacy, “calculation”, with a Mean±SD score of 68.96±35.89, and “utilization”, with 61.29±25.05, had the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. The Mean±SD score of addiction susceptibility was 25.3±30.05, and among its subscales, “showing off” with a mean score of 33.09±32.64 and “family dissatisfaction” with 19.75±35.47 had the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. Health literacy and its dimensions had a negative correlation with addiction susceptibility (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: According to the findings, it is recommended to use appropriate strategies to increase adolescent health literacy by health service providers, school officials, school health nurses, and teachers. The results of this study can be used as a source for further research on addiction and health literacy in adolescents.

Instruments for the assessment of health literacy in adolescents

Instruments for the assessment of health literacy in adolescents

Cross-cultural adaptation of the eHealth Literacy Scale for Brazilian adolescents.

The aim of this study was to undertake a cross-cultural adaptation of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) instrument to measure digital health literacy of Brazilian adolescents. eHEALS is a scale consisting of 8 items that measure self-perception related to the consumption of electronic health information. This is a methodological study of cross-cultural adaptation, conducted out from February 2022 to June 2022. The following steps were carried out: a) assessment and adequacy of cultural equivalence by a committee of experts; b) back-translation; c) synthesis of back-translations; d) cognitive testing with 42 Brazilian adolescents, using cognitive interviews with probing questions. All items that were difficult to understand were adapted to the (language) context of Brazilian adolescents. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for eHEALS-BrA was 0.81 and, if one of the items were excluded from the instrument, it ranged from 0.75-0.81. This version of the eHEALS proved to be culturally well-adapted to the context of Brazilian adolescents, and has the potential to measure digital health literacy in this population after having its validation confirmed through psychometric analyses.

Factors related to health literacy among Brazilian adolescents: cross-sectional study.

To analyze the relationship between sociodemographic and clinical factors with health literacy in Brazilian adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study with 526 adolescents aged 14 to 19. Data were collected virtually between July and September 2021 using a sociodemographic characterization questionnaire, clinical profile and the Health Literacy Assessment Tool - Portuguese version. The variables were evaluated by multiple linear regression with normal response, with significance p < 0.05. The average age was 16.9 years (±1.6), the average health literacy score was 25.3 (±5.4). Female gender (p = 0.014), university educational level (p = 0.002) and use of medication (p = 0.020) were related to higher levels of health literacy. Adolescents with chronic illnesses had a higher total literacy score, on average 1.51 points, compared to those without chronic illnesses. Male adolescents and those with less education performed worse in health literacy and, therefore, deserve special attention in health promotion actions.

Digital health literacy, behavior and knowledge of adolescents for hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic.

to investigate factors associated with digital health literacy, hand hygiene knowledge and behavior among Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. cross-sectional study with 473 adolescents aged 15 to 19. Data were collected virtually between June and August 2021 through a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, digital health literacy, knowledge and behavior regarding hand hygiene. Variables were adjusted using multiple linear regression models with normal response. the average digital health literacy score was 29.89 ±5.30; for hand hygiene knowledge and behavior was 13.1 ±1.5 and 11.1±2.7, respectively. Higher knowledge and behavior scores for hand hygiene were associated with having completed high school, compared to those attending college, among those who attend health courses, seek information about the pandemic and in scientific articles. Higher digital health literacy scores in adolescents who did not wear masks when playing sports (p= 0.017). There was an association between digital health literacy and knowledge (p = 0.000) and behavior (p = 0.000) regarding hand hygiene. there is an association between higher digital health literacy scores and hand hygiene knowledge and behavior.