Assessment of Health Literacy of Tehranian and the Factors Affecting it

Health literacy is increasingly important as a global issue in the 21st century. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of health literacy of citizens of Tehran and its influencing factors, with emphasis on its relation to media literacy. This research was conducted through survey method, because of the extent and distribution of the statistical population. The analytical unit of the research were individuals, the area was 22 districts of Tehran and the time of the survey was year 2018. The sample size was 1200 people who were selected by cluster sampling method in 10 districts and neighborhoods of Tehran. The results showed that the four factors / variables (personal, demographic, social and informational), with the variable of media literacy, play a role in determining the level of citizens' health literacy. Increasing media access and the ability of critical assessment, which are important factors in media literacy, will affect citizens' communication ability, their capacity to maintain and process health information, and ultimately, their skills in applying new technologies.