Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Author Spotlight: Developing a Point-of-Care Hemoglobin Estimation Method for Anemia Management
Published on: January 19, 2024
Exploring the Interplay of Health Literacy and Non-Communicable Disease Health Outcomes in Southeast Asia: A
Saw Ye Win Thu1, Muhammad Alwi Eka Pranata1,2, Yu-Lyu Yeh1
1Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Background:
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) present a substantial challenge in low- and middle-income nations, especially in the Southeast Asia region. Health literacy (HL) is vital for managing NCDs and improving health outcomes by enhancing individuals' abilities to seek, understand, assess, and utilize health information.
Methods:
A systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines, and relevant articles were sourced from PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar without limiting the publication year. Studies included were from Southeast Asia that examined the connection between HL and NCD outcomes. Sixteen cross-sectional studies from five countries were chosen for the final analysis.
Results:
The review observed that higher HL was linked to better health outcomes for individuals with NCDs. Communicative and critical HL were found to be more impactful than functional HL in obtaining, analysing, and applying health information. Additionally, HL was influenced by sociodemographic aspects (age, gender, education, location, and marital status, socioeconomic factors (income and employment), and societal influences (patient-doctor relationships, cultural context, and family support). HL was important in managing NCDs and for better health outcomes.
Conclusion:
Further studies are called for the evaluation of all three HL skills to comprehensively understand the HL of populations. Furthermore, the link between limited HL and employment status remains under-explored and deserves further attention.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Health Literacy
01:20Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...