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Gender Differences in Health Literacy among Adults in Mianeh city, 2019
Introduction: Regarding the role of health individual's literacy in quality of life and promoting community health, this study aimed to investigate gender differences in health literacy level among adults 18 years and older in Mianeh city in 2019.
Method: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design. The statistical population of the study included adult age18 years and older who were under the coverage of health centers in Mianeh city in 2019. Sample of 360 participants were selected using the random multi-stage sampling method. Health literacy was measured by using the standard HELIA Health Literacy Questionnaire of which the validity and reliability have been confirmed in Iran. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and analytical models of Chi-square test, independent t-test (or their non-parametric equivalent) were used to compare gender differences in health literacy without considering the confounding effects.
Results: The mean scores of health literacy in women and men were 53. 9% and 53. 5%, respectively. Also, among the dimensions of health literacy, women in the dimension of access (61. 5%) and men in the dimension of understanding (69. 1%) scored higher than other dimensions. There was a statistically significant difference between different dimensions of health literacy in men and women (P <0. 001). Prioritizing dimensions in men and women, the accessibility indicated the highest score and the evaluation the lowest score of health literacy. There was no significant difference between men and women in terms of health literacy (P = 0. 15), except understanding witch women were better (P = 0. 000). Additionally, the level of health literacy was associated with the education level, job, marital status and income (P <0. 001) and also feeling loneliness (P = 0. 002).
Conclusion: Given the importance of health literacy and taking into account the factors affecting health literacy, it is needed to take more measures to eradicate public illiteracy first as a fundamental. Secondly, considering health education and promotion programs, more attention should be paid to the health literacy status of the community, as well as waterfall education model for people at different social levels and written and pictorial materials along with other educational media according to the characteristics of the audiences.
Keywords: Health literacy, Gender, Age | en_US |
