Improving health literacy using social networks

Technologies such as social networks have provided new opportunities for health and social interactions, and the promotion of attitudes such as the attitudes of health control and improving the health literacy in society. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the use of social networks with the health literacy of Ilam public library users.

The present study has used questionnaire based survey method. The statistical population of this study is 4696 users of public libraries in Ilam. Based on Morganchr('39')s table, 351 individuals were selected as sample size. The questionnaire was distributed by using of stratified random sampling method. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used by SPSS 19 software.

The Findings showed that the components average of users in receiving health literacy information was at a sensible level and, due to the importance of those components, users began to utilize social networks in the field of health literacy. Also, the findings showed that there was a significant relationship between userschr('39') use of social networks and health literacy and the components (access, reading, understanding, assessment, application), so that by increasing the use of social networks, the health literacy of users increases as well.

According to the findings, it can be concluded that public libraries, universities and centers related to health cooperate so that held suitable conditions in social networks with the aim of experience sharing and expanding the level of health literacy of users by taking into account issues related to user information confidentiality and so that new facilities and conditions can be provided library users, institutions and planners in this field.