Investigation of health literacy and affecting factors of nursing students

Assessment of health literacy and quality of life in women with urinary incontinence

PURPOSE

In studies conducted with different groups, the effects of health literacy on quality of life are evident; however, there is no study examining the effect of health literacy on quality of life in women with urinary incontinence. The research was carried out to determine the health literacy level of women with urinary incontinence complaints, evaluate their quality of life, and examine the relationship between the two.

METHODS

The research was carried out as a descriptive study and conducted with 142 women with urinary incontinence complaints in an education and research hospital in Turkey between October 14 and December 30, 2020. The data were collected using the Introductory Information Form, Turkey Health Literacy Scale-32, Incontinence Quality of Life Scale.

RESULTS

The THLS-32 total mean score was 28.29 ± 8.68, the IQOL total mean score was 64.35 ± 15.33. It was determined that 41.5% of the women had insufficient, 35.9% had problematic-limited, 12% had adequate and 10.6% had excellent health literacy. A positive, medium-sized statistically significant correlation was found between the TSOY-32 score and the IQOL score (r = 0.436, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary incontinence has significant effects on the quality of life. It is thought that the evaluation of health literacy may be beneficial in nursing approaches to improve the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence.

Evaluation of the nutrition literacy assessment questionnaire for college students and identification of the influencing factors of their nutrition literacy

BACKGROUND

Nutrition health has become a major public health issue in both high and middle-income countries. Nutrition literacy is an important indicator to evaluate the effect of public health intervention and one of the important concepts in health promotion. Thus, this study aimed to verify the reliability and validity of a nutrition literacy assessment questionnaire (NLAQ) and investigate the associated factors of nutrition literacy among college students.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of college students from April to November 2022 in Wuhan (N = 774). We employed the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the reliability and validity. We used latent profile analysis to classify the nutrition literacy. We conducted Chi-square test and binary logistic regression to identify the influencing factors.

RESULTS

The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the NLAQ and its dimension was ranging from 0.837 to 0.909. The common factors were consistent with the original dimensions. All indicators met the requirements (χ2/df = 6.16 < 8, GFI = 0.929, NFI = 0.939, CFI = 0.948, RMSEA = 0.082 < 0.1). College students' disciplines (χ2 = 7.769, P = 0.021), mothers' education level (χ2 = 26.599, P < 0.001), and fathers' occupation type (χ2 = 11.218, P = 0.024) had impacts on nutrition literacy.

CONCLUSION

The NLAQ has good reliability and validity, and could be used as a measurement tool to evaluate college students' nutrition literacy. Schools and families should take targeted measures to improve the college students' nutrition literacy.

Psychometric properties of the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 for Turkish nursing students

Nursing students should be able to assess the health literacy levels of patients and enable patients to understand important health information. No scale has been developed to measure the health literacy knowledge and experience of Turkish nursing students. The Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 (HLKES-2) is a measurement tool with excellent psychometric properties that can be used to assess the health literacy knowledge and experience of nursing students. In this study, we aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 (HLKES-2-T) among Turkish nursing students. The study sample consisted of 510 undergraduate nursing students. The psychometric properties of the HLKES-2-T were analysed in terms of internal consistency, item-total score correlations, content validity, discriminant validity and known-group comparison. The HLKES-2-T total mean ± SD score was 11.69 ± 3.32. The Kuder-Richardson 20 coefficient of the knowledge subscale of the HLKES-2-T was 0.67, and its item-total score correlations ranged between 0.20 and 0.50. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the experience subscale of the HLKES-2-T was 0.73, and its item-total score correlations ranged between 0.75 and 0.78. The content validity index for the overall HLKES-2-T was 0.98. The HLKES-2-T is thus a reliable and valid tool that can be used to assess the health literacy knowledge and experience levels of Turkish nursing students.

The roles of nurses in supporting health literacy: a scoping review

Introduction

The importance of health literacy in achieving optimum health is highly significant, particularly in the nursing profession where it is an integral part of the roles and functions of nurses. Therefore, this scoping review aims to describe the roles of nurses in promoting patient health literacy and identify the determinant factors of health literacy in nursing practices.

Methods

An integrative search was conducted through four databases, namely, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, SAGE Journal, and PubMed, using various keyword combinations such as "health literacy," "health information," "patient health literacy," "patient literacy," and "nurses." Furthermore, the inclusion criteria employed were peer-reviewed articles focused on the nursing profession, explicitly discussing health literacy related to nursing, and including original studies, such as cross-sectional, quasi-experimental, and qualitative studies. The selected review articles were all published between 2017 and 2022.

Results

In total, 13 articles met the criteria and were applied in this scoping review. Most of these discuss health literacy related to nursing practice in clinical and community settings, as well as educational institutions. Health literacy is an essential aspect of professional nursing practice. Consequently, the supportive roles of nurses include acting as caregivers, facilitators, and educators to help patients overcome their literacy limitations and attain improved wellbeing.

Conclusion

Nurses can improve the health literacy skills of patients by making health information related to their illnesses easier to access, understand, evaluate, and use. They must also recognize various factors influencing health literacy and use the factors as opportunities to optimize health literacy improvement. A health literacy approach can be applied by nurses to solve health problems and improve the quality of care for patients.

Determinants of Inadequate Health Literacy Among Faculty of Medical Technical Sciences Students in Albania: Cross-Sectional Survey

BACKGROUND

Health literacy (HL) refers to people's ability to find, understand, and use health information in order to make appropriate health decisions. Health literacy among students is important so that tomorrow's health professionals can deliver high-quality health care and enhance patient education and communication.

OBJECTIVE

In this context, the aim of this study was to assess the HL level of Faculty of Medical Technical Sciences (FMTS) students in order to shed light on this underresearched topic in Albanian settings.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 193 FMTS students of various study branches (nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, and laboratory technician) was carried out during June 22-29, 2022, on the premises of the FMTS Faculty in Tirana, Albania. The international European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) standardized questionnaire, validated in Albanian, was used to collect information about FMTS students' general HL through a face-to-face interview. Basic sociodemographic information was collected as well. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with inadequate, problematic, or limited HL.

RESULTS

The mean level of general HL was 37.2 (on a scale from 0 [minimum HL] to 50 [maximal HL]). About one-quarter of FMTS students had inadequate (9/193, 4.7%) or problematic (38/193, 19.7%) HL, 51.3% (99/193) had sufficient HL, and 24.4% (47/193) had excellent HL. The prevalence of limited HL (inadequate and problematic HL) was higher among male than female students (6/12, 50% vs 41/181, 22.6%, respectively) and those with lower social and economic status. Upon adjusting for confounding effects, the only factor significantly increasing the likelihood of limited HL was male gender (odds ratio 8.13, 95% CI 1.68-39.39). Findings suggested that low social and economic status also increased the likelihood of limited HL, but such associations did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first study exploring the level of HL and its associated factors among FMTS students in Albania. The prevalence of limited HL was relatively high among FMTS students. There is a need for targeted interventions to increase the HL of nursing and midwifery students, such as the inclusion of HL subjects in the nursing curriculum.

Health literacy among adolescents and young adults in the Eastern Mediterranean region: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

For adolescents and young adults, most health literacy research has been conducted in Western countries, but few studies have been conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). This review aimed to explore the existing health literacy research in the EMR in addition to the levels of health literacy and its associated factors among adolescents and young adults.

METHODS

The search, conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCOhost/CINAHL plus, Web of Science and J-STAGE databases, was initially performed on 16 June 2022 and later updated on 1 October 2022. Studies that targeted 10-25 years old persons, conducted in any of the EMR countries and that used the health literacy concept and/or described its levels or predictors were included in the review. Content analysis was used for data extraction and analysis. Data related to the study methods, participants, outcome variables and health literacy were extracted.

RESULTS

The review included 82 studies, most of which were conducted in Iran and Turkey and adopted a cross-sectional design. Half of the studies showed that more than half of adolescents and young adults had low or moderate health literacy. Nine studies applied university-based or school-based health education interventions to improve health literacy, which was also predicted by demographic and socioeconomic factors and internet usage. Little attention was paid to assessing the health literacy of vulnerable people, such as refugees and those with a disability and exposed to violence. Finally, various health literacy topics were investigated, including nutrition, non-communicable diseases, media and depression.

CONCLUSION

Health literacy levels were low-to-moderate in adolescents and young adults in the EMR. To promote health literacy, it is recommended to use school-based health education and attempt to reach adolescents and young adults through social media platforms. More attention should be paid to refugees, people with disabilities and those exposed to violence.

Factors related with nursing students' health literacy: a cross sectional study

Background

Nursing professionals have a crucial role in promoting health literacy in health services, so it is necessary to ensure health literacy skills in future health professionals.

Objective

The objective of the study was to examine the health literacy of nursing students and its associated factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 460 nursing students. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire was obtained on sociodemographic characteristics, perception and health care, use of the health system and lifestyles. In addition, health literacy was assessed using the European Health Literacy Questionnaire.

Results

6.1% of the participants had an inadequate level of health literacy and 36.5% problematic. The probability of having sufficient health literacy is directly associated with age; and inversely with smoking, prolonged screen time and living alone (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

A large percentage of nursing students need to improve their health literacy skills. It is necessary to integrate a greater number of contents in health literacy in the curriculum of nursing students.

The relationship between e-health literacy and health-promoting behaviors of Turkish hospital nurses

The increase in information technologies has made it easy to access much health information online. In this context, e-health literacy emerges as a skill for acquiring health information. Obtaining health information through information technology for health promotion requires e-health literacy. The aim of this study was to examine the e-health literacy and the health-promoting behaviors of Turkish hospital nurses directly involved in patient care. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with 451 nurses working in two large training and research hospitals in Izmir between June and August 2019. Data were collected using the Turkish version of the Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale II and the Turkish version of the e-Health Literacy Scale. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. Nurses were found to have moderate levels of healthy lifestyle behaviors (130.56 ± 21.90) and e-health literacy (29.87 ± 5.39). There was significant relationship between the e-health literacy levels of the nurses and their overall health-promoting behaviors (R = .349; F = 12,381; p = 0.013), health responsibility (R = .326; F = 10,567; p = 0.014), spiritual development (R = .242; F = 5.276; p = 0.001) and interpersonal relations (R = .343; F = 9.896; p = 0.001) scores. The results of this study showed that the development of strategies to improve the e-health literacy of nurses may contribute to the maintenance of health-promoting behaviors of both nurses and their patients.

Do health literacy levels of nursing students change throughout the study programme? A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this research was to analyse if the level of health literacy (HL) of nursing students changes throughout the study programme.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study with anonymous self-reporting was conducted.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

329 public university nursing students in Seville, Spain; 243 of the first year and 86 of the fourth.

INTERVENTIONS

The short Spanish version of the Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-European Union was used to evaluate HL.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The proportions of the limited level of HL were compared between academic years and the crude and corrected OR were calculated with the Mantel-Haenszel test to evaluate the effect of confusion of the sex variable on the HL level and academic year relationship. A logistic regression model with step-by-step analysis was run, including the independent variables sex, age, marital status, academic year and HL level (limited/sufficient) as the dependent variable.

RESULTS

62.1% of the participants of the first year versus 47.7% of the fourth year had a limited literacy level for a crude OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.21; p=0.014) and a corrected by sex OR of 1.8 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.96; p=0.026). Only the strata in women had a statistically significant relationship. The logistic regression model ratified that the HL was a function exclusive to the academic year.

CONCLUSION

The HL level of nursing students increases from the first to the fourth academic year, even when controlling for sex. Although the HL level in the fourth academic year was greater than that of the first, both groups had inadequate HL levels. It is hence recommended to implement intervention strategies, which reinforce in the curriculum the knowledge and experiences related with health communication and education to ensure that future professionals improve their HL. Achieving adequate HL is crucial to be able to provide care to patients, their families and the community.

Nursing students' understanding of health literacy and health practices: a cross-sectional study at a university in Namibia

Background

A poor understanding of health literacy and inadequate health practices among nurses can be detrimental to a population’s health. The starting point of solving this problem is through the provision of methodical health literacy and health practice education in the nursing curriculum. This study explored nursing students’ understanding of the concept of ‘health literacy’ and their health practices at a university in Namibia.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 205 nursing students. A simple stratified sampling method was used and data were collected using a self-reporting Understanding of Health Literacy (UHL) questionnaire. Pearson correlation, independent t-test and One-way ANOVA were used to analyse the data.

Results

The overall mean Understanding of Health Literacy score was 13.04 ± 1.52. The majority (n = 157; 76.5%) of the students were found to have adequate health literacy scores, 21.5% had moderate health literacy scores, and only 2% had inadequate health literacy scores. The overall mean health practice score was 32.4 ± 5.50. Most (n = 106; 51.7%) of the students were found to have poor health practices, 44.4% had average health practices, and just 3.9% had good health practices. There was no significant relationship between the health literacy levels and health practices of the students (p = 0.63).

Conclusions

Nursing students have a good understanding of the concept of health literacy, but more effort can be made to translate this understanding into health literacy skills. There is a need to investigate the contributing factors to poor health practices, as well as develop strategies that can support good health practices among nursing students. These health literacy skills could then be transferred into the students' professional careers as nurses.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-021-00776-z.

Obesity and Diet Predict Attitudes towards Health Promotion in Pre-Registered Nurses and Midwives

Nurses and midwives are integral to public health promotion; in the UK, they are advised to act as role models by their governing body, but overweight or obesity rates are high. We explored whether obesity and dietary habits are related to attitudes towards healthy role modelling and health promotion practice. A total of 346 pre-registered UK nurses and midwives (92.6% female; 18–53 years) completed an online survey. Items included body composition, dietary habits assessed by the Lifestyle Behaviour Questionnaire (LBQ), attitudes towards being role models for health (RA: role attitudes) and attitudes toward health promotion practice (ATHPP): 33.8% of the sample self-reported as overweight or obese; 67.6% did not consume 5-a-day portions of fruit/veg; 31.5% reported a healthy diet; and 89.6% believed their diet could be healthier. Positive RA was significantly linked to health promotion engagement (HP) (ß = 0.33, p < 0.001). Positive ATHPP was significantly predicted by lower BMI (ß = −0.08, p = 0.078), positive RA (ß = 0.67, p < 0.001), lower HP (ß = −0.25, p < 0.001) and male gender (ß = 0.09, p = 0.02). Greater confidence in patients valuing healthcare professional’s advice was predicted by healthier diet (ß = 0.11, p = 0.03), lower BMI (ß = −0. 16, p < 0.01), more positive RA (ß = 0.14, p < 0.01) as well as HP engagement during training (ß = 0.20, p < 0.01). One’s own motivation to promote health, similarly to ATHPP, was predicted by RA (ß = 0.17, p = 0.001) and previous HP engagement (ß = 0.39, p < 0.001). Findings show that overweight and obesity are prevalent in pre-registered nurses and midwives; the majority did not consume a healthy diet. Individual’s body composition, diet and attitudes towards role modelling are positively associated with their attitudes towards, and confidence in, health promotion practice. Experiences of health promotion practice during training can have either a positive or a negative influence on attitudes. Mentors and educators could actively promote healthy lifestyles for pre-registered nurses and midwives and facilitate more opportunities for health promotion practice during placements, which includes time for reflection.

Health Literacy Levels of Women and Related Factors in Turkey

BACKGROUND

Health literacy is a complex issue affecting the health outcomes of women and their families.

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to determine the health literacy levels and related factors of women attending various courses in family centers of a municipality.

METHODS

This cross-sectional research was conducted on a sample of women enrolled in various courses at eight family centers in a city center. The sample consisted of 837 women who agreed to participate. The participation rate was 76%. Two different health literacy scales were used to collect data for analysis.

RESULTS

Of the women, 50.4% were over 40 years old, 35.2% were high school graduates, 89.6% were not working, 53.2% self-reported their monthly income as equal to their monthly expenses, 88.8% had social security, 28.4% had chronic diseases, 29.2% used medication regularly, 35.2% had visual problems, 7.8% had hearing problems, and 77.9% used the internet. According to the results of the Turkish Health Literacy Scale, 45.9% of the participants were in the inadequate category, 30.6% were in the inadequate and limited category, 16.0% were in the adequate category, and 7.4% were in the excellent category. Women aged 40 years and over, those who were elementary school graduates, those who had visual and hearing problems, those who used eyewear, those whose monthly income was less than expenses, and those who were non-internet users respectively had mean health literary scores that were significantly below the mean score for all participants (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The largest number of participants was categorized has having a "low-insufficient" level of health literacy. Age, educational level, income, having visual and hearing problems, wearing glasses, and internet use were found to affect level of health literacy. For this reason, factors such as age, educational level, income, vision and hearing problems, use of eyeglasses, and internet use should be considered when planning initiatives to increase health literacy in women.

Effectiveness of health literacy education for nursing students: A randomized controlled trial

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of health literacy education given to nursing students on health literacy level.

BACKGROUND

Health literacy has become an important issue in the field of health. Health literacy is an issue of interest to health professionals as well as individuals.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial. A total of 206 nursing students, 103 in the intervention and 103 in the control group, were included in the study. The intervention group received four weekly training sessions of health literacy education. The research was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the registration number NCT04868487.

RESULTS

On the baseline assessment, there were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control group in terms of health literacy level (p > 0.05). In the 1st- week and 12th-week measurements, the health literacy level of the intervention group was significantly higher than control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Health literacy education was effective in increasing the health literacy level of the students. Therefore, the concept of health literacy should be added to the nursing education curriculum.

Health Literacy and Health Promotion Behaviors of Adolescents in Turkey

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to determine the health literacy and health promotion behaviors of adolescents.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study used cross sectional and correlational design. The population of the study consisted of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from three different secondary schools selected from high, middle, and low income levels. The sample consisted of 2498 students.

RESULTS

The mean score of the health literacy scale of the students was 30.26. The mean score of the adolescent health promotion scale was 143.75. The mean scores of health literacy and adolescent health promotion scores of the students in high income level, sixth grade, and have parents with a baccalaureate or graduate degree were significantly higher (p < 0.005). A moderate positive correlation was found between the school age health literacy scale and the adolescent health promotion scale (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents' health literacy, and their health promotion behaviors were at moderate level. By integrating a basic health knowledge and healthy lifestyle behaviors course into the student curriculum, health literacy of the students could be increased.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The determination of health literacy and health promotion behaviors in adolescents by nurses in the schools will be a guide for the promotion of enhanced adolescent health.

Health literacy, digital literacy and eHealth literacy in Danish nursing students at entry and graduate level: a cross sectional study

Background

The increasing number of people living with one or more chronic conditions imposes a growing demand on healthcare providers. One way to handle this challenge is by re-orientating the way care is provided, empower people and increase their ability to manage their condition. This requires, amongst other factors, sufficient level of health literacy (HL) and digital competences among both patients and the healthcare providers, who serve them. The focus of this study is the level of HL, digital literacy (DL), and eHealth literacy (eHL) in nursing students in Denmark.

The objective was to examine the level of these three literacies in entry- and graduate-level nursing students and examine sociodemographic characteristics and self-rated health (SRH) associations.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted among 227 students at entry-level and 139 students at graduate-level from a nursing program. The survey consisted of the health literacy questionnaire (HLQ (nine scales)), the eHealth Literacy Assessment toolkit (eHLA (seven scales)), the eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ (seven scales)), questions soliciting sociodemographic data, and a single item assessing the students’ SRH. Pearson’s chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney test were used to examine the differences in HL, DL, and eHL and between groups, and Kendall’s tau-b test to examine correlations between SRH and HL, DL, and eHL.

Results

The level of HL, DL and eHL tended to be higher among graduate-level students than in entry-level students and was satisfactory. Age, sex, country of origin, and parents’ educational level and occupational background influenced students’ HL levels. SRH was higher in students at the graduate level. Amongst entry-level students, SRH was positively associated to seven HLQ, four EHLA and four eHLQ, amongst graduate-level students, SRH was positively associated to seven HLQ and six eHLQ.

Conclusions

Educators must be aware of how sociodemographic factors affects students’ literacies and increase learning opportunities by mixing students when planning activities. Considering the higher SRH in graduate-level students, HL, DL, and eHL levels indicate that current curricula and study activities are appropriate, but there is still room for improvement.

The Association between Health Literacy and Self-Rated Health Amongst Australian University Students

Health literacy is the capacity to understand, access, and effectively utilize health information and healthcare to make informed health decisions. This cross-sectional study uses the multi-dimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) to investigate associations between demographic characteristics, self-rated health and health literacy among students (n = 932) in two Australian universities. We used Pearson's chi-square to determine differences in self-rated health between demographic groups, Cohen's defect Sizeto measure differences in HLQ scale scores between demographic groups, and logistic regression to determine associations between HLQ scores and self-rated health. A clear association was found between self-rated health and health literacy: as health literacy increased, so did self-rated health. Findings also demonstrate lower health literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse students, and those studying Arts compared to Health degrees. Lower self-rated health was correlated with HLQ scales including being less active in managing one's own health, having less social support for one's health, possessing insufficient health information and lower confidence in navigating the healthcare system. This study provides a comprehensive picture of potentially vulnerable students and identifies strategies for supporting their health endeavors while studying at university.

Health Literacy among Health and Social Care University Students

Health literacy has been defined by the World Health Organization as the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health. Its importance in reducing inequalities makes health literacy a thematic area that should be addressed in the training of professionals in the fields of healthcare, Social Work and Education. The objective of this study was to define the health literacy levels of students from the Universities of Girona and Barcelona (Spain) and the Regional Institute of Social Work in Perpignan (France). A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of Nursing, Social Work, Primary Education and Special Education in the 2017–2018 academic year. Sociodemographic and academic variables were considered and the HLS-EU-Q16 questionnaire was used to study health literacy levels. In total, 219 students with an average age of 24.9 participated. Of these, 64.4% were studying Social Work, 23.7% Nursing, 5.9% Primary Education, and 5.9% Special Education. Of the total sample, 36.5% were classified as sufficient in health literacy. The total average score of the health literacy index was 11.1; 13.2 among Nursing students; 10.5 among Social Work students; 10.1 among Primary Education students, and 10.1 among Special Education students (p < 0.001). Nursing students obtained the best results and healthcare was the highest rated subdomain, more than disease prevention and health promotion.

Health literacy: exploring disparities among college students

BACKGROUND

Health literacy is a multidimensional concept that is considered a primary public health concern. This concept is often neglected in research, and the evidence regarding health literacy in college students is limited. The aim of this study was two-fold: to determine the needs and limitations of health literacy among college students and to explore the relationships among the nine dimensions of health literacy and sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, nationality, year of study, field of study, smoking status, history of chronic diseases, use of on-campus gym, and the intention to exercise on-campus.

METHODS

This study was conducted using a cross-sectional approach. A total of 520 college students participated in this study. The average age was 21.03 years (SD = 2.29), with 47.5% males and 52.5% females. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). In addition to descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and follow-up analyses were performed to explore any statistically significant mean differences among levels of health literacy and sociodemographic factors.

RESULTS

The levels of health literacy on the nine HLQ scales were lower than the levels reported in the literature. Multivariate analysis showed a significant effect of age, gender, smoking status, year of study, and field of study on the level of health literacy. Follow-up analyses revealed that female students, students from the health-related faculties, and those who do not smoke have higher levels of health literacy compared to their counterparts. A detailed comparison between the levels of the HLQ scales was made based on students' demographic characteristics. The field of study had the most prominent effect on the level of college students' health literacy; mean differences were statistically significant (p < .001), and effect sizes were large (ranging from .66 to 1.35 for the nine scales of the HLQ).

CONCLUSION

College students' health literacy is influenced by demographic characteristics. Such variations could amplify some of the existing health disparities. The implications of the findings on health, health promotion, and interprofessional education are discussed.

Health literacy of nursing students and its effective factors

BACKGROUND

The insufficiency of health literacy negatively affects the national economy as it leads to increased health service expenditure. It is very important for individuals to have accurate health-related information to reduce these negative effects.

AIM

The aim of the study is to examine the health literacy of nursing students and its effective factors.

METHODS

This descriptive study was carried out with students from the nursing department of a vocational school of health sciences between September and October 2018 in Turkey. A semi-structured questionnaire regarding the descriptive features of the participants and the European Health Literacy Scale were used for data collection.

RESULTS

The study included 283 nursing students; 29.3% had a problematic-limited health literacy level. The study found a statically significant difference between student year, high school graduation and family's income level and the total mean score of the HLS-EU scale.

CONCLUSION

The subject of health literacy should be integrated into the educational program of nursing students. The nurses are the most important workforce in health services, and awareness about this subject should be raised.