The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey

Introduction: It is known that health literacy and fear of COVID-19 are effective in complying with COVID-19 prevention measures. A limited number of studies have shown the relationship between health literacy, fear of COVID-19, and compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. The purpose of this...

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Main Author: Gülhan Yiğitalp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2024-09-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/19416
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author Gülhan Yiğitalp
author_facet Gülhan Yiğitalp
author_sort Gülhan Yiğitalp
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: It is known that health literacy and fear of COVID-19 are effective in complying with COVID-19 prevention measures. A limited number of studies have shown the relationship between health literacy, fear of COVID-19, and compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the fear of COVID-19, health literacy, compliance levels with prevention measures of adult individuals and influential factors. Methodology: The cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire and was conducted with 1018 adults aged 18-64 in Turkey between 01-31 December 2020. The convenience sampling method was used to determine the sample. Student t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple linear regression were used. Results: Half of the participants (49.9%) had inadequate and problematic-limited health literacy (HL). Adults` compliance with measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and some sociodemographic characteristics had a significant relationship with HL and fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.05). It was determined that those with high HL and those afraid of COVID-19 paid more attention to precautions (p < 0.05). Health literacy was a predictor of fear of COVID-19 (β = -0.091; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Governments need to invest in increasing health literacy.
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spelling doaj-art-ce9af6aa6aee4cab9f97c4c4c6118b712025-08-20T02:14:07ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802024-09-01180910.3855/jidc.19416The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in TurkeyGülhan Yiğitalp0Department of Nursing, Atatürk Faculty of Health Sciences, Dicle University, Sur/Diyarbakır, Turkey Introduction: It is known that health literacy and fear of COVID-19 are effective in complying with COVID-19 prevention measures. A limited number of studies have shown the relationship between health literacy, fear of COVID-19, and compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the fear of COVID-19, health literacy, compliance levels with prevention measures of adult individuals and influential factors. Methodology: The cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire and was conducted with 1018 adults aged 18-64 in Turkey between 01-31 December 2020. The convenience sampling method was used to determine the sample. Student t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple linear regression were used. Results: Half of the participants (49.9%) had inadequate and problematic-limited health literacy (HL). Adults` compliance with measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and some sociodemographic characteristics had a significant relationship with HL and fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.05). It was determined that those with high HL and those afraid of COVID-19 paid more attention to precautions (p < 0.05). Health literacy was a predictor of fear of COVID-19 (β = -0.091; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Governments need to invest in increasing health literacy. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/19416health literacyfearCOVİD-19prevention measuresadult individuals
spellingShingle Gülhan Yiğitalp
The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
health literacy
fear
COVİD-19
prevention measures
adult individuals
title The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
title_full The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
title_fullStr The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
title_full_unstemmed The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
title_short The fear of COVID-19, health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in Turkey
title_sort fear of covid 19 health literacy and levels of compliance with prevention measures of adult individuals in turkey
topic health literacy
fear
COVİD-19
prevention measures
adult individuals
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/19416
work_keys_str_mv AT gulhanyigitalp thefearofcovid19healthliteracyandlevelsofcompliancewithpreventionmeasuresofadultindividualsinturkey
AT gulhanyigitalp fearofcovid19healthliteracyandlevelsofcompliancewithpreventionmeasuresofadultindividualsinturkey