Journal of Education and Health Promotion

A survey on health literacy of inpatient’s educational hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2012

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Hamideh Mollakhalili
. Ahmad Papi
. Firoozeh Zare- Farashbandi 1
. Gholamreza Sharifirad 2
. Akbar HasanZadeh 3

1 Health Information Technology Research Center

2 Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Health

3 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract
Background: Health literacy is an individual’s need in each Society. Health literacy is a
set of skills in reading, listening, analysis, decision making and the ability to apply these
skills to health situations. The purpose of this study was to assess health literacy level
in Inpatients of educational Hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2012.
Materials and Methods: A navigational and analytical- applied survey of 384 Inpatients was
conducted in educational hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Health literacy
was measured by the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA). Reliability of
Questionnaire was obtained through Cronbach’s alpha and it was 0/89 and its validity was
confirmed by experts. The data were collected in clinical inquiry and were analyzed using
SPSS (as Descriptive was Frequency distribution, mean, standard deviation and as analytical
was Independent T-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation test and Spearman correlation test).
Findings: Results showed that the average of Health literacy scores in Inpatients was 35/31
in Numeracy test and 31/94 in Reading Comprehension test. The mean total score of health
literacy was 29/63. Thus, the Most of these Inpatients were found to have inadequate health
literacy. No significant association was found between health literacy level and gender, income,
Occupation and residence. Health literacy was associated with age, marriage status and
education. Conclusion: The results showed that most of Inpatients in of educational Hospitals of
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were marginal and inadequate health literacy. Therefore,
they need to more help and details to understand and use health information.

Keywords

Health literacy
inpatients
Isfahan university of medical sciences
teaching hospitals
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 4, Issue 3
Spring 2014
Pages 1-7

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