Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Health literacy and its predictors among urban and rural adults in Bijar County

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Bahman Baraie 1
. Tahereh Pashaei 1
. Edris Kakemam 2
. Hassan Mahmoodi 3

1 Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

2 Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

3 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The World Health Organization has identified health literacy (HL)
as one of the most important determinants of people’s health. Therefore, this research aimed to
investigate the status of HL and its predictors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was a cross-sectional study that was performed on 600
adults in Bijar County, Iran. Cluster sampling was used to select the samples. Data were collected
using the questionnaire of HL for Iranian adults. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of
variance, Student’s t-test, and multiple linear regression in SPSS 21.
RESULTS: The mean score of HL was 3.6 out of 5; 69% and 29% of the samples had a moderateto-high health status, respectively. Among the dimensions of HL, the highest and the lowest means
were perception (3.94) and evaluation (3.21), respectively. Based on the multiple regression results,
the variables (gender – B = −0.142, confidence interval [CI]: −0.409 to −0.011, P = 0.39; education
level – B = 0.391, CI: 0.149–0.287, P = 0.00; and income level – B = 0.203, CI: 0.00–0.00, P = 0.01)
were significantly positively associated with HL.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be applied to educational interventions through media
and radio-television to increase public awareness. Education is also strongly recommended in terms
of demographic variables and characteristics to promote HL in the society.

Keywords

Adults
health literacy
Iran
predictors
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 10, Issue 7
July 2020
Pages 1-6

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