Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study

Background and Objective: Health literacy refers to a collection of skills, which enable the individuals to read, hear, analyze, and decide on the health-related issues. The possession of these skills by women have a significant effect on the improvement of health and happiness in their family and c...

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Main Authors: Mohtasham Ghaffari, Hossein Hatami, Sakineh Rakhshandrrou, Alireza Shoghli, Ahmad Heidari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hamadan University of Medical Sciences 2018-07-01
Series:Journal of Education and Community Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jech.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-354-en.pdf
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author Mohtasham Ghaffari
Hossein Hatami
Sakineh Rakhshandrrou
Alireza Shoghli
Ahmad Heidari
author_facet Mohtasham Ghaffari
Hossein Hatami
Sakineh Rakhshandrrou
Alireza Shoghli
Ahmad Heidari
author_sort Mohtasham Ghaffari
collection DOAJ
description Background and Objective: Health literacy refers to a collection of skills, which enable the individuals to read, hear, analyze, and decide on the health-related issues. The possession of these skills by women have a significant effect on the improvement of health and happiness in their family and community. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to determine health literacy level among the women referring to healthcare centers in Zanjan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 323 women referring to the urban healthcare centers of Zanjan in 2016. The study population was selected using stratified random sampling technique. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version 21) using Pearson correlation test, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: The mean health literacy among the participants was obtained as 71.56±17.8. According to the results, 22.6%, 22.3%, and 50.1% of the subjects had inadequate, borderline, and adequate health literacy, respectively. Furthermore, health literacy showed a significant relationship with education level (P<0.001) and occupational status (P=0.44). Conclusion: As the findings indicated, about half of the women had no favorable level of health literacy. Considering the critical role of women in preserving and promoting the health of their family and community, it is necessary to consider educational plan in order to improve the health literacy among this important group.
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spelling doaj-art-a519b07d90c74cb480e0bbf9a39585eb2025-08-20T03:49:07ZengHamadan University of Medical SciencesJournal of Education and Community Health2383-23122383-23122018-07-0151424810.21859/jech.5.1.42Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional StudyMohtasham Ghaffari 0Hossein Hatami 1Sakineh Rakhshandrrou 2Alireza Shoghli 3Ahmad Heidari 4Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Public Health, School of Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Zanjan Health Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Background and Objective: Health literacy refers to a collection of skills, which enable the individuals to read, hear, analyze, and decide on the health-related issues. The possession of these skills by women have a significant effect on the improvement of health and happiness in their family and community. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to determine health literacy level among the women referring to healthcare centers in Zanjan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 323 women referring to the urban healthcare centers of Zanjan in 2016. The study population was selected using stratified random sampling technique. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version 21) using Pearson correlation test, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: The mean health literacy among the participants was obtained as 71.56±17.8. According to the results, 22.6%, 22.3%, and 50.1% of the subjects had inadequate, borderline, and adequate health literacy, respectively. Furthermore, health literacy showed a significant relationship with education level (P<0.001) and occupational status (P=0.44). Conclusion: As the findings indicated, about half of the women had no favorable level of health literacy. Considering the critical role of women in preserving and promoting the health of their family and community, it is necessary to consider educational plan in order to improve the health literacy among this important group.http://jech.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-354-en.pdfHealth LiteracyTest of Functional Health Literacy in AdultsWomen
spellingShingle Mohtasham Ghaffari
Hossein Hatami
Sakineh Rakhshandrrou
Alireza Shoghli
Ahmad Heidari
Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
Journal of Education and Community Health
Health Literacy
Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults
Women
title Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
title_full Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
title_fullStr Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
title_short Health Literacy among Women Referring to Healthcare Centers of Zanjan City, Iran: A Cross-sectional Study
title_sort health literacy among women referring to healthcare centers of zanjan city iran a cross sectional study
topic Health Literacy
Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults
Women
url http://jech.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-354-en.pdf
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AT alirezashoghli healthliteracyamongwomenreferringtohealthcarecentersofzanjancityiranacrosssectionalstudy
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