European Health Literacy Survey Research Articles

Health Literacy and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

ObjectivesHealth literacy is considered crucial in health status outcomes, but little is known about the association among cognitively impaired persons. This study investigated the association between health literacy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We further examined whether the association between health literacy and HRQoL depends on age, sex, and educational attainment. DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted between January and December 2022. Setting and ParticipantsThe study population was 233 older adults with MCI who visited the Veterans Health Service Medical Center in Korea. MethodsThe diagnosis of MCI was confirmed by a physician based on clinical and neuropsychological assessments. The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire and EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire were used to measure the health literacy and HRQoL of the participants. ResultsHRQoL was significantly correlated with health literacy (r = 0.25, P ≤ .001) and its 3 subdomains (r = 0.27, P ≤ .001 for health care; r = 0.19, P = .004 for disease prevention; and r = 0.18, P = .005 for health promotion). After adjustment for potential covariates, older adults with higher levels of health literacy were significantly associated with better HRQoL: β = 0.02 (P = .0021) for health literacy, β = 0.07 (P = .0001) for health care, and β = 0.04 (P = .0443) for disease prevention. The interactions between HRQoL and health literacy with the specific variables of age, sex, and education demonstrated a statistical significance (β = 0.02 with age, β = 0.03 with sex, and β = 0.06 with education). Conclusions and ImplicationsThere was a significant association between health literacy and HRQoL among older adults with MCI. This finding suggests that improving health literacy of older adults with MCI may enhance HRQoL. An education intervention is recommended to reduce the existing health disparities due to low health literacy.

Alignment of Patient Information Leaflets with the Health Literacy Skills of Future End-Users: Are We on the Same Page?

ABSTRACT Effective health communication will not be possible if the messages directed to patients do not adapt to their health literacy skills. In this sense, if the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) are not understood properly, they will not fulfill their purpose. Secondary education aims to develop students’ fundamental skills, including reading comprehension, which should align with future patients. This study assesses reading comprehension of commonly used PILs among secondary education students. An observational cross-sectional study involved 590 Spanish secondary school students from March to June 2022. They read 3 original PILs and completed a questionnaire about medication use information. The European health literacy survey questionnaire (short version) and sociodemographic data were collected. The average correct answer rate was only 51%, with just 14.58% understanding when to take ibuprofen, results that fell significantly below the minimum 80% threshold required by the European Union. Age, gender, and cultural background didn’t significantly impact comprehension. In conclusion, health literacy skills acquired in secondary education are insufficient for understanding current PILs. Educational reform is necessary to improve students’ ability to comprehend medication instructions and enhance PILs for effective communication. At the same time, our work highlights that current PILs need to be redesigned to reduce the cognitive burden imposed on patients.

The Relationship between Illness Acceptance and Health Literacy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: To adopt healthy lifestyles for managing chronic diseases and ensure self-management and control of illness, individuals must accept their illness and have good health literacy knowledge. Aim: This paper investigated the correlation between health literacy and illness acceptance in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Method: The research was carried out as a cross-sectional study in Türkiye between December 2019 and April 2020. The sample consisted of 406 participants diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes admitted to a public hospital. Data were collected with an the “Information Form”, the “Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS)”, and the “European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU)”. Results: Participants had a mean AIS score of 26.21 ± 7.11. They had a mean HLS-EU score of 92.25 ± 15.76. Health literacy (HL), age, gender, people living together, smoking status, hospitalization, knowing about chronic complications, the presence of other chronic illnesses, foot care, and blood glucose monitoring were predictors of the acceptance of illness. A positive correlation was observed between AIS and HLS-EU (r = 0.46; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Participants demonstrated high levels of both HL and illness acceptance. The level of illness acceptance increased with the level of HL. It is necessary to develop educational content and materials tailored to the needs and HL levels of the patients to enhance their health literacy.

Validating the short-version European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire for community-dwelling older adults in Japan.

The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) is available in multiple languages, and shortened versions have also been developed. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the short version of the questionnaire (HLS-Q12) developed for community-dwelling older adults in Japan. The HLS-Q12 was developed using 12 of the 47 items of the Japanese version of the HLS-EU-Q47. In this study, the survey was conducted by distributing self-administered questionnaires to community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older who consented to participate; their responses were collected by mail. The correlation between the HLS-Q12 and the HLS-EU-Q47 was tested to assess criterion validity. To test construct validity, nine novel hypotheses were proposed. We also conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the HLS-Q12. Based on a resurvey after 5-7 days, test-retest reliability was examined using interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis. In total, 118 individuals provided valid responses to the questionnaire. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between the HLS-Q12 and the HLS-EU-Q47 was r = 0.98 (p < 0.001), and eight of the nine hypotheses were supported. The ICC was 0.96 (p < 0.001), and the 95% limit of agreement was -0.26 ± 5.9, suggesting no systematic error. Thus, the Japanese version of the HLS-Q12 was found to be reliable with high criterion validity and reproducibility. Hence, the HLS-Q12 is a useful scale for measuring health literacy among older adults in Japan.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Chinese version of the HLS-EU-Q47.

The development of health literacy in China is relatively slow, and there are fewer health literacy scales, which is difficult to measure. Therefore, this study aims to promote the development of health literacy in China through the translation and application of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47). The scale was translated into Chinese, back-translated, culturally adapted and finally subjected to psychometric evaluation. A multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select 2504 residents to test the reliability and validity of a questionnaire on health literacy. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to evaluate the validity of the results, and the back consistency was calculated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The EFA revealed that health care, disease prevention and health promotion explained 78.68% of the total variance in health literacy. The scale and its subscales demonstrated strong internal consistency, with high Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.947 to 0.983. CFA confirmed the three-factor model's goodness-of-fit for the Chinese population. The dimensions of healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion showed high convergent validity with an average variance extracted values ranging from 0.52 to 0.60 and composite reliability values ranging from 0.94 to 0.96. The reliable and valid Chinese version of the HLS-EU-Q47 (HLS19-Q47-CN) developed and evaluated in this study is an important tool for assessing health literacy levels in the Chinese population. Furthermore, as this tool has global applicability, it has the potential to assess health literacy levels across different countries, enabling practical international comparisons.

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.

Lifestyle-associated health literacy in subjects with systemic arterial hypertension in a first-level unit

Introduction: Various factors can influence the control of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), one of the most widely demonstrated is lifestyle. The impact that various behavioral and psychological conditions can have on lifestyle has not been fully established, as is the case of Health Literacy, whose study is limited. Objective: To associate the degree of health and lifestyle literacy in subjects with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). Material and methods: Observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study. During the period from November 2022 to November 2023 in a first-level care unit. The following questionnaires were applied: European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16) and the Fantastic Lifestyle Test. Single and multiple Prevalence Odds Ratios (PMRs) were calculated using a Multiple Logistic Regression (RLM) model. The multivariate model included: health literacy, male gender and basic schooling. Results: Of 424 subjects, 79.2% were women, with a median age of 48 years, with interquartile ranges (IQR) of 40 to 52 years. In the multivariate model, inadequate health literacy presented a PMR of 17.86 with a 95% CI (9.50-33.58), the male gender a WMR of 1.99 with a 95% CI (1.07-3.71) and basic schooling a WMR of 2.61 with a 95% CI (1.28-5.30). Conclusion: Inadequate literacy is a risk factor for an unhealthy lifestyle in subjects with SAH, in simple and adjusted analysis. Prospective cohort studies are required that can verify the findings shown here.

Is There a Meaningful Association Between Physical Literacy and Health Literacy? A Cross- Sectional Study in Older Adolescents

Health literacy (HL) is hypothesized to be associated with physical literacy (PL), but studies have rarely examined this association in adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between PL and physical activity levels (PAL), with HL in high-school adolescents. The participants in this cross-sectional study were high school students (n=204; 100 females; 16 to 19 years of age). Variables included evaluation of the HL, PL, and PAL. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents was used for analysis of the PAL. PL was assessed by the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, and the Physical Literacy Assessment of Youth (PLAYself). HL was evaluated using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate correlations were calculated for the total sample and stratified by gender. Boys had greater PAL than girls (t test =6.76, p&lt;0.001), but no significant gender differences were found in PL and HL. The results showed no significant association between PL and HL in boys. PL was significantly associated with HL in girls (17% of the explained variance, p&lt;0.001), with PLAYself being a significant partial regressor (Beta =0.38, p&lt;0.001). Due to the established gender-specific associations between HL and PL, in developing and implementing educational strategies aimed at improving PL and HL in adolescents, a gender-specific approach is warranted.

The Role of Parental Health Literacy in Establishing Health-Promoting Habits in Early Childhood.

In early childhood, children are extremely susceptible to the acquisition of habits and the establishment of health-promoting habits. Therefore, the patterns, routines, and rules transmitted and expected by the adults surrounding the child are of paramount importance and can correlate with the level of their health literacy. Our cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory study aimed to examine the relationships between parental health literacy and preschool children's health-related habits, using simple, non-random sampling (n = 598). In addition to the sociodemographic characteristics, the measuring tool we compiled included the standardized European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16), as well as a set of questions containing 30 statements suitable for exploring children's habit systems. The health literacy of the parents involved in our study proved to be more favorable than that of the general population. Regarding children's habit systems, we found significant differences in several areas by age group (p < 0.05) and gender (p < 0.05). The levels of parental health literacy (0.003 ≤ p ≤ 0.048) and parents' education (p < 0.05) show a correlation with the children's health-related habit systems: the indicators of children with parents who have a higher level of health literacy and a higher level of education are more favorable in terms of established habits. In the long term, the formation of health-promoting habits may facilitate the internalization of favorable health behavior motives for the future, contributing to the establishment of positive physical, mental, and social health in adulthood.

Patient activation and health literacy in Dutch patients with multiple involved specialties

Abstract Aim To examine the association between having a higher number of involved specialties, patient activation (PA), and health literacy (HL) in patients visiting a general hospital. Subject and methods Patients ≥ 18 years of age who had an appointment with the medical specialist or physician assistant were asked to participate in this study. Patients completed the Patient Activation Measure-13 (PAM) questionnaire and the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q). They were stratified into having &lt; 3 or ≥ 3 involved medical specialties in the past 12 months. Two association models were built to examine the association. Results This study included 200 patients with 52% males (n = 104), a median age of 65 years, and low levels of education (67%). Patients with ≥ 3 involved medical specialties (58%) had lower total PAM scores (p = 0.03) and had lower HLS-EU-Q index scores (p = 0.23). The multivariable regression analysis showed that having ≥ 3 involved medical specialties was not associated with low PAM scores (OR = 1.59, p = 0.13) when adjusted for low education, low HLS-EU-Q scores, and higher age (&gt; 65 years). In addition, having ≥ 3 involved medical specialties was not associated with low HLS-EU-Q scores (OR = 1.10, p = 0.76) when adjusted for low PAM scores and low education. Conclusion Patients with ≥ 3 involved medical specialties visiting the internal medicine department of a general (non-academic) hospital had variable levels of PA and HL. Moreover, having ≥ 3 involved medical specialties was not significantly associated with lower PA and HL. Importantly, the number of involved specialties may not be a proxy for recognizing low PA and HL. Organizations aiming to improve PA and HL could measure these constructs directly.

Self-care trajectories of patients with coronary heart disease: a longitudinal, observational study.

To determine if distinct trajectories of coronary heart disease (CHD) self-care behaviours could be identified, linked to differences in quality of life (QoL), and predicted based on baseline characteristics. A secondary analysis of a prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Patients with CHD answered questionnaires at study enrolment and six months later: Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory (three subscales: maintenance, management and confidence, scored 0-100, higher score = better self-care), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 12-Item Short Form Survey, 16-Item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire, CHD Education Questionnaire. Latent growth mixture modelling was used to identify distinct self-care trajectories over time.On average, patients (n = 430, mean age 64.3 ± 8.9, 79% male) reported inadequate self-care (maintenance 61.6 ± 15.4, management 53.5 ± 18.5) at enrolment. Two distinct trajectories of self-care behaviours were identified: First, an "inadequate-and-worsening" (IN-WORSE) trajectory (57.2%), characterised by inadequate self-care, improvement in maintenance (4.0 ± 14.5-point improvement, p < 0.001) and worsening of management over time (6.3 ± 24.4-point worsening, p = 0.005). Second, an "inadequate-but-maintaining" (IN-MAIN) trajectory (42.8%), characterised by inadequate self-care, improvement in maintenance (5.0 ± 16.2-point improvement, p < 0.001) and stability in management over time (0.8 ± 21.9-point worsening, p = 0.713). In comparison, patients in the IN-WORSE trajectory had less favourable characteristics (including lower health literacy, knowledge, confidence) and significantly lower QoL. Not attending rehabilitation (OR 2.175; CI 1.020-4.637, p = 0.044) and older age (OR 0.959; CI 0.924-0.994, p = 0.024) predicted (IN-WORSE) trajectory inclusion. Two self-care trajectories were identified, both suboptimal. Rehabilitation predicted membership in the more favorable trajectory and some positive characteristics were identified among patients in that group. Therefore, interventions supporting these factors may benefit patients' self-care and QoL.

Assessment of health literacy in a French emergency department

BackgroundHealth literacy (HL) has become a subject of major interest in public health worldwide. It is known to be linked to self-efficacy in care use and to global health status, and a non-negligible frequency of problematic or inadequate levels of HL in populations worldwide is reported. As this has yet to be evaluated in France, the present study aimed to evaluate the HL level of patients in a French emergency department (ED).MethodsWe conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional observational, single center study in the ED of the Lyon Sud hospital (Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France). The primary endpoint was the HL level of the patients determined according to the score obtained using the 16-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire. The secondary endpoint was the identification of sociodemographic factors associated with the HL level.ResultsA total of 189 patients were included for analysis. 10% (95% CI [3%; 17%]) of the patients had an inadequate HL, 38% (95% CI [31%; 45%]) had a problematic HL, and 53% (95% CI [46%; 61%] had an adequate HL. In multivariate analysis, age and perceived health status were independent predictors of the HL level; OR =0.82 (95% CI [0.69; 0.97]; p=0.026) for a 10-year increase in age, and OR =1.84 (95% CI [1.22; 2.82]; p=0.004]).ConclusionsThe HL level of the patients in the ED studied herein was similar to that found in the population of France and other European countries and was influenced by age and perceived health status, which are both associated with care needs. It may be therefore interesting to explore in future studies how taking into consideration HL in the general population may lead to a better self-efficacy in care and optimize the use of the healthcare system.

Impact of health and digital health literacy on quality of life following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer: prospective single-center cohort study

PurposeThe importance of health literacy (HL) and digital health literacy (e-HL) in promoting healthy behavior and informed decision making is becoming increasingly apparent. This study aimed to assess the effects of HL and e-HL on the quality of life (QoL) of men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer.Materials and methodsThis prospective observational study included 104 patients who underwent RP for localized prostate cancer. HL and e-HL were evaluated using the validated eHealth Literacy Scale and European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire Short Form before RP. We evaluated patients’ physical, psychological, social, and global QoL using the validated EORTC QLQ-C30 8 weeks after RP. The exclusion criterion was any difficulties in language and comprehension. We employed one-way ANOVA to compare continuous variables across groups in univariate analysis and used MANOVA for exploring relationships among multiple continuous variables and groups in the multivariate analysis.ResultsMultivariate analyses showed that poorer e-HL and HL were associated with being older (p = 0.019), having less education (p < 0.001), and not having access to the internet (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between improved e-HL (p = 0.043) and HL (p = 0.023), better global health status, and higher emotional functioning (p = 0.011). However, the symptom scales did not differ significantly between the e-HL and HL groups.ConclusionOur study showed a positive association between self-reported HL/e-HL and QoL, marking the first report on the impact of HL/e-HL on the QoL in men who underwent RP for clinically localized prostate cancer.

Evaluation of Parents' Use of a Child Health Care Information App and Their Health Literacy: Cross-Sectional Study.

Recently, digital media, including internet websites and smartphone apps, have become popular resources for parents in searching for child health care information. Higher health literacy among parents in obtaining adequate health care information and making proper decisions may lead to improved child health outcomes and a reduction in the burden on health care professionals. However, few studies have examined the association between the provision of child health care information apps and parents' health literacy. This study aims to evaluate whether parents' use of an app that provides child health care information is associated with their health care knowledge, their health literacy, and emergency room visits for their children. Participants were recruited during checkups for their 1.5-year-old children at health centers within Saku City in 2022. Parents who agreed to participate were included in this study; individuals were excluded if they were not the mother or father of the child or did not have a smartphone. Participants were asked if they had used the Oshiete-Doctor app, which was distributed by Saku City free of charge to improve the home nursing skills of parents and guardians. Sociodemographic data of parents and children, data on health care knowledge about children, data on the frequency of emergency room visits in the past 6 months, and health literacy scores (HLSs) of parents (measured with the HLS-EU-Q47 [European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire]) were collected from participants in this cross-sectional survey. Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to examine the associations of app use with health care knowledge, health literacy, and emergency room visits. In total, 251 respondents completed the survey (response rate: 251/267, 94%). Although the proportion of health care workers was significantly higher among app users than among non-app users (P=.005), no other participant attributes were significantly associated with the use of the app. The proportions of participants with higher health care knowledge and participants with higher total HLSs were significantly higher among app users than among non-app users (P=.001 and P=.003, respectively). After adjusting for potentially confounding covariates, these proportions were still significantly higher among app users than among non-app users (P=.02 and P=.007, respectively). Emergency room visits were significantly more frequent among app users than among non-app users (P=.007) in the univariable analysis, but the association was not significant (P=.07) after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. This study showed a significant association between parents' use of a child health care information app and higher child health care knowledge and health literacy. The use of the app may lead to more appropriate health decisions and behaviors in children's health care. Future studies are needed to evaluate the association between app use and emergency room visits.

MEDICAL LITERACY DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT POPULATION IN SLOVAKIA AND UKRAINE

Introduction. The diagnosis results of medical literacy levels among different groups of adult population in Slovakia are given in this article. This research was done by the scientists of Pedagogy Department, Philosophy Faculty, Comenius University in Bratislava, together with Ukrainian colleagues.&#x0D; The aim of research. The objective of the article was aimed at studying the specifics of medical literacy development in European countries and making a comparative research analysis for determining the levels of medical literacy among adult population in Slovakia and Ukraine and making up the recommendations.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The diagnostic surveying of adults was made according to the modification of European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS_EU_Q47), which was offered to the respondents to fill out in the format of a Google form. The methodological approaches used in the study are as follows: andragogical, competency-based, cultural, person-centered, and systems-based.&#x0D; Results. The majority of the respondents in the European countries were found to have the insufficient level of medical literacy. In Slovakia, the youth aged 18-24 turned out to be more active and conscious of health issues. It was specified that the comprehensive study of medical literacy issues among adults was not carried out in Ukraine at all. Positively estimating the research experience of medical literacy levels among adult population in Slovakia, it is worthwhile to single out the progressive ideas of its implementation in an area of support, maintenance and restoration of health for adults in Ukraine. The recommendations were made up for increasing medical literacy of different groups of adult population at the national and regional levels as well as at the level of healthcare and educational institutions and universities.&#x0D; Conclusions. The research results of medical literacy among adult population can be recommended to the representatives of governmental institutions, universities, healthcare institutions so as to update legislation, prepare teaching and methodological materials for universities and postgraduate education.

IJCM_240A: A cross sectional study to assess the health literacy among adults attending outpatient clinics at a government tertiary care hospital in urban Bangalore.

Background: WHO defines health literacy as cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of people to understand, gain access and use the information to obtain good health. Inadequate health literacy has been linked to increased hospital admissions, poorer physical and mental health, lower use of preventive health services like vaccinations and screening tests. These ultimately lead to higher healthcare costs. This study was conducted to assess health literacy among adults attending outpatient clinics at a government tertiary care hospital in urban Bangalore. Objectives: To estimate proportion of inadequate health literacy and its associated factors among adults attending outpatient clinics at a government tertiary care hospital in urban Bangalore. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult attendees (i.e., patients and companions) of outpatient clinics of a government tertiary care hospital in urban Bangalore. Based on a study done by Almaleh. R et al. (P = 34.3%) with 7% absolute precision, the sample size was calculated as 200. A total of 200 adults attending outpatient clinics at the government tertiary care hospital were selected using simple random sampling. Data was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire for sociodemographic factors and HLS-EU-Q16 (European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire short version) for assessing health literacy. The data collected was entered in MS Excel and analysed using SPSS 21.0. Results: The proportion of inadequate health literacy among study participants was observed to be 38%. Factors like educational status, age, and gender were found to have an association with it. Health literacy was found to be least in lower-educated individuals. Conclusion: From the present study, it was found that a large part of adult population had limited health literacy. It should be addressed through proper interventions, like ensuring basic education and health awareness programmes.

LITERATURE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN EUROPE ON HEALTH LITERACY

According to World Health Organization, Health Literacy encompasses the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to access, understand and use information in a way that promotes and maintains good health. The aim of this article is to present the concept of “health literacy”, its determinants and consequences, as well as to review research conducted in Europe using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire – HLS-EU-Q16 indicator. For this purpose, a literature review was conducted, to incorporate analysis and criticism. The article determines the scope of research on health literacy in Europe using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire – HLS-EU-Q16, based on literature analysis. The greater people’s health literacy, the better their understanding of prevention and treatment. Low health awareness means financial losses, both personal and global. High Health Literacy enables good prevention, which is the best and cheapest method in every health system.

Socio-demographic, agricultural, and personal protective factors in relation to health literacy among farmers from all regions of Thailand.

Farmers are vulnerable to adverse health effects from pesticide exposure due to their health literacy (HL). Therefore, this study aims to investigate HL among farmers in four main regions of Thailand, investigating socio-demographics, agricultural, and personal protective factors to their HL. This cross-sectional design study was conducted on 4,035 farmers from January to July 2023. The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-47 items were used to measure HL. Thai farmers had a mean HL score of 34.7 ± 8.7, and the farmers in the North region of Thailand had the highest frequency of limited HL (75.8%). Socio-demographic factors that were associated with HL included gender, region of living, marital status, education level, co-morbidity, and number of family members. Agricultural factors associated with HL included planting status, working hours on farm, spraying pesticides, harvesting crops, pesticide use of >1 type, access information from government officers, access information from posters/brochures, information from online multimedia, and access information from neighbors. Personal protective factors that were associated with HL included wearing a hat, goggles, a rubber apron, and a long-sleeved shirt. Our study recommends that strategies and interventions to enhance the HL of farmers should be focused on the target populations, which include men, widows, or divorced, those with low levels of education, those who have co-morbidities, and those who applied pesticides of more than 1 type and improper personal protective equipment (PPE) use. The primary emphasis needs to be on the North region of Thailand, making that the target area to improve health equity in Thailand. These efforts would enhance the HL of farmers and sustainably improve pesticide safety behavior. Additionally, there is an urgent need for supportive measures aimed at altering on-farm practices and promoting education on alternative pest management strategies, particularly non-chemical crop protection, to ensure sustainable agriculture.

Validity and Reliability of the Palliative Care Knowledge Scale.

Tools to measure layout people's knowledge about palliative care are very limited. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Palliative Care Knowledge Scale (PaCKS) in Turkish on layout people other than healthcare professionals. Perception of Health Scale (PHS) and European Health Literacy Survey (EHLS) scales were used to ensure concurrent validity of PaCKS. Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was found to be .846. In item analysis, item-total score correlations were found to be between .343 and .691. Intraclass correlation coefficient of PaCKS total score was found to be .862, p < .001 in test-retest results. In the concurrent validity analysis, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the PaCKS and the PHS (r = .504, p = .000) and PaCKS and the EHLS (r = .251, p = .017). PaCKS is a simple, applicable and short test that can be easily understood by layout people without any health education.

18-49 yaş arası evli kadınlarda sağlık okuryazarlığı ve gebeliği önleyici yöntem kullanımının değerlendirilmesi

Objective: To determine the level of health literacy and assess contraceptive use in married women. Methods: From August 2020 to October 2020, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among married women aged 18 years and older residing in various regions across Turkey. The survey targeted this demographic via an online questionnaire, carefully crafted by existing literature and aligned with the study's aims. The study cohort consisted of 1024 married women who voluntarily participated in the research. Results: The study group included women between the ages of 18 and 49, with a mean age of 32.74 years and a standard deviation of 6.85. Scores on the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire spanned from 1.11 to 50.0, with a central score at the median of 34.38. Health literacy was found to be lower in those aged 35 years and above, those who graduated from primary school, those who have been married for 20 years or more, those who had given birth 3 times or more, those with 2 and more living children and those with a history of stillbirth. While no significant relationship was found between the use of contraceptive methods and health literacy, health literacy was determined to be higher among women who stated that they would prefer a modern method if they had to use a contraceptive method again. Conclusion: It can be suggested that married women had moderate health literacy. Preference for modern contraceptive methods can be encouraged through informative activities to improve the health literacy of women.