Educational-Communicative Factors Affecting the Health Literacy of People with Chronic Diseases from the Perspective of Health Staff: A Qualitative Study

Health literacy includes a set of skills in reading, listening, comprehension, analysis, and decision-making in health-related issue. This does not mean the person's ability to read and write during school days. The purpose of this study was to explain the views of health staff on health literacy and educational-communicative factors affecting it in health centers in Mashhad City, Iran. In this qualitative study, 12 health workers in health centers affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, participated in four focused group discussions. Collected data were recorded and analyzed using contractual content analysis in continuous comparison. Participant’s perspective revealed "quality of health order transferring", "quality of communication", and "quantity of educational orders transferring" as three main educational-communicative factors affecting health literacy of patients with chronic diseases. Understanding existing facts with the evolutionary approach is necessary in developing curriculums for changing behavior. Hence, health literacy, as an effective strategy for self-care in patients with chronic diseases, requires improved modulators such as education and communication skills.