Rational Drug and Antibiotic Use Status, E-Health Literacy in Syrian Immigrants and Related Factors: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Health Literacy

Background:

• Rational drug use is crucial for health outcomes, influenced by factors like immigration.
• Immigrants' health attitudes and service utilization are shaped by their migration experience.
• Understanding health literacy and drug use among immigrant populations is vital for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess factors influencing health literacy and rational drug use among Syrian immigrants in Istanbul.
• To identify specific knowledge gaps and determinants of e-health literacy in this population.
• To inform targeted interventions for improving health and societal integration.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 542 Syrian adults in Istanbul.
• Utilized a three-part questionnaire: sociodemographics, rational drug use, and e-health literacy scale (eHEALS).
• Statistical analysis to identify factors influencing e-health literacy and associations with drug use knowledge.

Main Results:

• Majority supported doctor-prescribed medications (97%) and opposed home antibiotic storage (93.7%).
• Significant portion (62.5%) considered excessive herbal medicine use harmless.
• Mean eHEALS score was 20.57 ± 7.26; limited health literacy affected 80.3% of participants.
• Low e-health literacy linked to being female, older age, lower education, and regular medication use.

Conclusions:

• Syrian immigrants demonstrate adequate antibiotic knowledge but deficient understanding of general drug use and herbal medicines.
• Health literacy and e-health literacy are influenced by demographic and socioeconomic factors.
• Targeted health interventions are essential to address knowledge gaps and support the health and assimilation of Syrian immigrants.