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Showing 3 results for Health Literacy
Survey of the Relationship between Health Literacy Level and Health Status among Elderly People Referring to Retirement Centers in Rasht city
Nasrin Mokhtari, Afsaneh Nezafati, Farzaneh Sheikholeslami , Ehsan Kazemnejad Leili,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (1-2019)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Lower levels of health literacy have been associated with adverse health outcomes, especially for elderly.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 290 retired elder from the Retirement Centers in Rasht city by Convenient sampling during the year 2017. Data collection tools included, Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults(TOFHLA) and general health standard questionnaire (GHQ-28). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS.
Results: More than half of the participants (54.8%) had adequate health literacy. The highest mean of the health literacy was in the domain of reading comprehension (36.30±7.90) and then in the domain of numeracy (36.11±11.60). There was a significant relationship between the level of health literacy and the level of education, the level of education of the spouse and the history of cancer(P<0.05), the mean of the general health of the subjects was 20.67±8.27. by adjusting the effects of demographic variables, there was a significant relationship between the health literacy and the general health (P=0.04), such that by improving each level in the health literacy status, the chance of a favorable general health status, increases by 1.4 times (Odds Ratio=1.4).The findings, show a 0.95 confidence interval for variables related to general health.
Conclusion: This study approved that the level of education was the most important determinant of health literacy and general health, identifying elderly with poor health literacy and providing them with appropriate education can play a major role in promoting community health.
Evaluation of Relationship between Health Literacy and Illness Perception in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Iran
Fariba Abdollahi, Seyede Soghra Taher Harikandeie, Leila Dehghankar, Zahra Tayebi Myaneh, Simin Zarrabadi Pour,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Abstract
Background: Inadequate health literacy has negative effects on physical and mental performance, medication adherence, self-care behaviors and quality of life . The impact of health literacy on different aspects of illness perception in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is not clear. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine relationship between health literacy and illness perception in patients with MS.
Methods: This was a correlational study on 100 patients with MS who had been referred to neurology clinic of Abu Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin (Iran) in 2017-2018. The subjects were enrolled via convenience sampling. A demographic information questionnaire, the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument, and the brief illness perception questionnaire (BIPQ) were used to collect data. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version 22) using descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression model.
Results: Adequate health literacy  level was found in 11% of patients; 26% had a possibility of limited health literacy and 63% had a high likelihood of limited health literacy. The mean illness perception score was 35.53±1.31 (moderate). There was no significant relationship between health literacy and the mean score of illness perception (r=-0.014, P=0.894). However, there was a significant relationship between perception and recognition of present illness, as a subscale of illness perception with health literacy (r=0.243, P=0.015). Variables in the multi-variate predictive model accounted for 37.6 % of the total variance in heath literacy.  Duration of illness perception significantly predict health literacy (B=0.052, P=0.035). Moreover, the only predictor of illness perception in patients with MS was income level (B=87.87, P=0.05), which explained 35.7% of the illness perception changes.
Conclusion: Based on the results, illness perception is significantly associated with health literacy. Therefore, it is necessary to promote health literacy in order to improve understanding the nature and consequences of the disease and conduct further research on the relationship between health literacy and illness perception among patients with MS.
 

Use of information and Communication Technologies to improve health literacy among pregnant women: A scoping review
Emanuela Gomes Falcão, Antônio Alves de Sousa Filho, Edina Maria Araújo, Saiwori de Jesus Silva Bezerra Dos Anjos ,
Volume 23, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Abstract
Background: Health literacy is a key component of informed decision-making during pregnancy and is influenced by access to and interpretation of health information. This study aimed to map and analyze the available evidence on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) during pregnancy and their implications for obstetric nursing.
Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to JBI guidance and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. The initial searches were conducted in December 2023 and updated in May 2026, covering records indexed from database inception through May 2026 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Controlled and uncontrolled terms based on MeSH, DeCS, and Emtree were used. Primary and secondary studies employing quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches were eligible, with no restrictions on language or publication period. The findings were synthesized descriptively and thematically.
Results: Twenty-five studies were included. The evidence indicates that ICTs, including mobile applications, websites, and digital platforms, facilitate access to health information, promote self-care, and improve adherence to prenatal care. However, their effectiveness depends on three factors: digital literacy, information reliability, and integration into professional care. Barriers include digital inequality, low health literacy, information overload, cultural and linguistic limitations, and a lack of content regulation. Despite these challenges, benefits such as increased knowledge of warning signs, greater self-efficacy, and support for decision-making were observed.
Conclusion: ICTs play an important role in supporting maternal care and strengthening health literacy during pregnancy. Their effective use depends on the interaction among digital literacy, information reliability, and professional mediation.

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