Journal of Health Literacy
Volume:5 Issue: 1, 2020

In late December 2019, a new kind of Coronavirus, called COVID19, was reported from Wuhan, China. By the fast spread of the virus in China and then in all countries, the people around the world have been deeply frightened. The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the spread of the virus as the main cause of public health emergencies. The fast spread of the virus and lack of vaccine and definite and specific treatment could be addressed as the main reasons that countries are faced with a huge number of infected people and also confronted them with big challenges in different aspects of health, economic, political, and social. Some of these challenges are directly or indirectly related to the health literacy of people and improving it could solve or at least reduce the challenges . In the last years, health literacy has been considered as one of the most important and determinative factors of health. Health literacy has known as a skill for health decision making in the difficult situation of the patients. The health literacy as a social and cognitive skill has different dimensions such as access, appraising, understanding, and performing the obtained health knowledge and information. The ability to comprehend the educational provision in the patients, as a dimension of health literacy, is significantly important .

There is a gap between access to eHealth resources and the skills of consumers to use them, which can help to provide quality eHealth by identifying these skills. The aim of this study was to determine the electronic health literacy score of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences students in 2018.

This descriptive-analysis study was conducted on students of the faculties of Paramedicine, Health and Nutrition at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in the first semester of 2018-2019. The sampling method was stratified random in proportion to the volume was employed. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which consisted of five parts (Demographic Characteristics, Educational Features, Internet usage questions, Electronic Health Literacy Scale Tool Questions). The Content validity of questionnaire was assessed in an interview with 3 health education experts and 4 health information experts. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.89) Data analysis was conducted with SPSS version 21 statistic software package and descriptive statistics, independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and Duncan's post hoc tests.

According to the results of this study, the students had a good level of health literacy. There is also a significant difference between the level of health literacy of those access the Internet outside the college and those do not (p<0.05). In addition, the most common place to use the Internet was the dormitory (% 43.8).

Planning for more to access the Internet outside of college for the students, especially in dorms, can help to improve students' health literacy. In addition, conducting workshops on how to search for electronic health information as well as introducing reliable sources and databases can be effective in enhancing students' health literacy

Health literacy is cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to access ،understand and use information in a way that maintains and improves their health.  Inadequate health literate people have a weaker health status. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between health literacy and health public of staff of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

This descriptive-analytic and correlational study a total of 185 personnel staff in Isfahan University of medical sciences in 2019. Data collection tools were demographic information questionnaires, health literacy and general health. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 22 using Descriptive and analytical tests. P-value less than 0.05 were considered significant.

64.9% of the samples had sufficient health literacy.  In terms of general health, 52.4% of the research samples were at an Undesirable level. The findings showed that the relationship between health literacy and general health is significant (P-value=0/001).

Regarding the communication of staff health literacy among staff units with their general health status, it is necessary Programs by effective institutions such as mental health centers, university counseling and human relations units To create job training to eliminate the necessary ambiguities or job stress before the start of the activity periodically or short-term courses held and the specialist forces to request more participation.

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting developments for most people. For the successful adaptation of this event, it is necessary to have interpersonal and family physiological interactions. Postpartum depression is a serious disorder that has devastated and long-term effects on the mother-family. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between mental health and self-efficacy and post-partum depression in the suburb of Mashhad in 1396.

This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted to evaluate the relationship between mental health literacy and self-efficacy and depression in 2-8 years after treatment in the health and medical centers of the Mashhad city. The statistical population of the study consisted of 250 mothers in the third trimester of pregnancy to 8 weeks post-pregnancy. They were selected using simple random sampling method. The instruments used in this research were parenting self-efficacy questionnaires mental health literacy questionnaire, and depression questionnaire (BECK). Total data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software and paired t-test. P value

In this study, the total number of women was 250. In this study, a significant relationship was found between employment status, education and postpartum depression and parental self-efficacy and family income with mental health literacy (p <0.05). There was no significant statistically significant relationship between postpartum depression and mental health literacy (p=0.295), while there was a significant statistical relationship between postpartum depression and self-efficacy (p <0.007).

According to the results of this study, in order to prevent this complication, it is suggested that supportive and educational programs be implemented during pregnancy and postpartum for mother and relatives.

Self-medication is a high prevalent behavioral choice that may lead to serious consequences. it is necessary to identify the factors that influence and modify this behavior. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the role of psychological factors and health literacy on self-medication behavior in adults in Bushehr province.

This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study that was conducted on 1013 persons referred to Bushehr comprehensive health centers. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling and completed demographic, knowledge, psychological constructs of health belief model, health literacy, and self-medication questionnaires. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, chi-square and logistic regression models in SPSS software version 22.

Based on the results, occupational status, insurance coverage, knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity and critical health literacy were predictors of self-medication behavior. According to the results, laborers and retirees were less likely to self-medicate than the unemployed as well as those who were not covered by insurance in comparison to those who were covered by the insurance services. Other results also showed that subjects with higher knowledge and perceived susceptibility had a 1.34- and 1.77-times higher odds of self-medication, respectively. Individuals with higher perceived severity and higher critical health literacy were less likely to practice self-medication.

Improving health insurance coverage and attention to occupation and knowledge, as well as modifying perceived susceptibility and severity beliefs, beside the considering and promoting critical health literacy can be effective in modifying self-medication behavior in individuals.

Diabetes is a multifactorial disorder and the most common endocrine disorder. One of the important factors in the control and treatment of diabetes is the health literacy of the person with diabetes. Health literacy is defined as the extent to which one is able to acquire, interpret, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate decisions. This study was conducted to determine the health literacy of women with type 2 diabetes in Qom.

This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study of 300 diabetic women in Qom in 2019. Cluster sampling was performed randomly.  Adult Functional Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to collect data. The overall health literacy score was calculated from 100. Data were performed using SPSS20 software, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and analytical statistics (Anova test, independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient).

The study's findings show that the mean age and standard deviation of participants in the study was 44.4 ± 4.85 years. Computational health literacy was 51 percent of inadequate and borderline, 55 percent in reading comprehension, and overall health literacy was 53 percent of inadequate and borderline. There was a positive and significant relationship between health literacy, marital status, education and occupation, and a negative significant relationship between age and health literacy (r = -0.29, p = 0.00).

According to the findings, single, less educated, housewives and older people have lower health literacy. Consequently, these have been taken into account in the planning and measures taken to promote health literacy.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most important progressive pulmonary disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between health literacy and lifestyle in patients at risk and with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 224 patients referred to Allameh Bohlool Gonabad Hospital participated. Sampling was carried out in an easy method and the data were measured by form of demographic information, Health Literacy of Iranian Adults (HELIA) and Miller & Smith Life Style standard questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and inferential statistics, chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation coefficient.

The mean of health literacy score in patients with and at risk was 109.32 ± 26.60 and 78.69 ± 29.70, respectively. The mean of life style score in patients with and at risk was 56.29 ± 9.50 and 51.41 ± 11.57, respectively. The findings showed low health literacy especially in reading skill dimension and sick life style. Significant relationships were found between health literacy and lifestyle (P=0.00, r=0.58).

Health literacy scores were higher in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower lifestyle. Therefore, just by raising the awareness of patients cannot be achieved a healthy lifestyle and further action is needed.