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Measuring Health Literacy in Southern Italy: A cross-sectional study
Sara Schiavone1, Francesco Attena1
1Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Plos One
|August 8, 2020
Summary
A study in Southern Italy found that 61.6% of patients have low Health Literacy (HL). Higher education and self-efficacy were linked to better HL, highlighting the need for targeted health literacy interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Social Determinants of Health
Background:
- Health Literacy (HL) is a critical factor influencing individual health outcomes.
- Limited HL is a growing concern within the general population.
- Assessing HL levels is crucial for understanding health disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate Health Literacy levels in patients at general medicine outpatient facilities in Naples and Caserta.
- To explore the relationship between Health Literacy, health behaviors, and health status.
- To provide foundational data for future health promotion strategies in Southern Italy.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 503 patients from general medicine outpatient facilities.
- Utilized a questionnaire including sociodemographic data, the European Health Literacy Survey (16-item version), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), and EQ-VAS for health status.
- Employed univariate and multivariate analyses, including Pearson correlation, to assess determinants and associations.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (61.6%) of patients exhibited low Health Literacy.
- Higher education levels and a General Self-Efficacy score of 30 or more were associated with increased HL.
- Health Literacy showed a stronger correlation with General Self-Efficacy (0.53) than with self-rated health status (0.27).
Conclusions:
- This study reveals a low prevalence of Health Literacy in the studied population in Southern Italy.
- While higher education and self-efficacy are linked to better HL, the sample's representativeness is limited.
- Further research is recommended to inform public health policies and interventions aimed at improving Health Literacy across Italy.
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