HEALTH LITERACY OF STUDENTS OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES IN HEALTH ORIENTATION
Keywords:
literacy, health literacy, S-TOFHLA
Abstract
According to the definition of the World Health Organization, health literacy includes the cognitive and social skills and capacities needed to access, understand and use information in a way that promotes and protects good health. Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. Objective: The main objective of this research was to determine whether and to what extent the level of health literacy affects the reproductive health of young people. Material and methods: The research belongs to the group of epidemiological studies, conducted according to the type of cross-sectional study. It was carried out in the period from 01. To 17.06.2019. A total of 230 students of professional health studies participated in the research. The questionnaire, in addition to demographic data, contained the S-TOFHLA health literacy test and specially designed questions about reproductive health. Results: Our research showed that six respondents (2.61%) had inadequate health literacy, 80 (34.78%) had marginal health literacy, and 144 (62.61%) had adequate health literacy. literacy. Greater health literacy is associated with sexual activity, number of partners, use of anti-baby pills. Discussion: Health literacy is influenced by many factors, including knowledge of reproductive health, age, gender, sociodemographic factors, economic status, level of education, and more. Insufficient promotion of sexual education in our society, potential mistrust in the official education system and the desire of respondents to independently research this area. Conclusion: More than two thirds of students show the adequate level of health literacy. Students who are older in terms of age and years of study have a higher level of health literacy. This research can serve as a starting point for the creation of new programs on reproductive health and health literacy, especially those aimed at the population of health professionals.
References
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2. Simonds SK. Health Education as Social Policy. Health Education Monographs.
1974;2(1_suppl):1-10. doi:10.1177/10901981740020S102
3. Doak CC, Doak LG, Root JH. . Teaching patients with low literacyskills. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 1996; 96(12):16M.
4. Cutilli C C, Bennett IM. . Understanding the health literacy of America results of the national assessment of adult literacy. Orthopaedic nursing/National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses, 2009; 28(1):27.
5. Maričić M, Radovanović S, Gavrilović I, Jevtović-Obradović I, Khouitar ., Mujković M. Factors associated with health literacy. Zdravstvena zaštita, 2020; 49(4);75-82.
6. Health literacy: report of the Council on Scientific Affairs. Ad Hoc Committee on Health Literacy for the Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. JAMA. 1999 Feb 10;281(6):552-7. PMID: 10022112.
7. Berkman ND, Davis TC, McCormack L. ( Health Literacy: What Is It? Journal of Health Communication, 2010; 15:9-19.https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2010.499985
8. Squiers L, Peinado S, Berkman N, Boudewyns V, McCormack L. The health literacy skills framework. J Health Commun. 2012;17 Suppl 3:30-54. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2012.713442. PMID: 23030560
9. Nutbeam D. Defining, measuring and improving health literacy. Health evaluation and promotion 2015;42:450–6. 10.7143/jhep.42.450.
10. Rudd R.E., Comings J.P., Hyde J.N. Leave no one behind: Improving health and risk communication through attention to literacy. J. Health Commun. 2003;8((Suppl. 1)):104–115. doi: 10.1080/713851983.
11. Jović-Vraneš A, Bjegović-Mikanović V, Marinković J, Vuković D. Evaluation of a health literacy screening tool in primary care patients: evidence from Serbia. Health Promot Int. 2014 Dec;29(4):601-7. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dat011. Epub 2013 Feb 27. PMID: 23445940.
12. Festin MPR. Overview of modern contraception. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2020 Jul;66:4-14. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2020.03.004. Epub 2020 Mar 13. PMID: 32291177.
13. Borght M, Wyns C. Fertility and infertility: Definition and epidemiology. Clin Biochem. 2018 Dec; 62:2-10. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2018.03.012. Epub 2018 Mar 16. PMID: 29555319.)
14. Lindsay TJ, Vitrikas KR. Evaluation and treatment of infertility. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Mar 1;91(5):308-14. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2015 Sep 15;92 (6):437. PMID: 25822387.
15. World Health Organization. Maternal health, available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/maternal-health#tab=tab_1, reviewed: 25.11.2023
16. Blencowe H, Calvert PhD C, Lawn JE, Cousens S, Campbell OM. Measuring maternal, foetal and neonatal mortality: Challenges and solutions. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2016 Oct;36:14-29. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2016.05.006. Epub 2016 Jun 24. PMID: 27439881.
17. Markle W, Conti T, Kad M. Sexually transmitted diseases. Prim Care. 2013 Sep; 40(3):557- 87. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2013.05.001. Epub 2013 Jun 29. PMID: 23958358.
18. Ubavić S, Bogavac-Stanojević N, Jović-Vraneš A, Krajnović D. Understanding of Information about Medicines Use among Parents of Pre-School Children in Serbia: Parental Pharmacotherapy Literacy Questionnaire (PTHL-SR). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 May 14;15(5):977. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15050977. PMID: 29757928; PMCID: PMC5982016.
19. Mladěnka A, Sláma J. Vaccination against HPV and view of new possibilities. Ceska Gynekol. 2018 Winter;83(3):218-225. English. PMID: 30764623
Published
2024/11/27
Section
Original Scientific Paper