Health Literacy Among Non-Communicable Disease Service Seekers: A Nationwide Finding from Primary Health Care Settings of Bangladesh.
Health Lit Res Pract
; 8(1): e12-e20, 2024 Jan.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38329843
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Considering the health literacy status of service seekers is crucial while developing programs and policies to improve service delivery in primary health care settings.OBJECTIVE:
Our aim was to assess health literacy among adults seeking non-communicable disease (NCD)-related services in primary health care centers (PHC) of Bangladesh and identify its contributing factors and its preventive effect on risky behaviors.METHODS:
In this cross-sectional study, 2,793 NCD service seekers were interviewed face-to-face from eight rural and three urban PHCs selected by a multi-stage random sampling method. We used the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire to collect data on health literacy. We applied logistic regression analysis to identify the contributing factors related to adequate health literacy. Odds ratios were used to calculate the preventive fraction of health literacy for NCD risk behaviors. KEYRESULTS:
Limited health literacy was found among 43% of the respondents. Adequate health literacy was associated with younger age, male sex, having a formal education, living in an extended family, hailing from a high socioeconomic group, and attending urban PHC. After adjusting the sociodemographic factors, the prevalence of smoking, smokeless tobacco usage, and inadequate fruits and vegetables consumption among participants were found to be 25%, 51%, and 18% lower for people with sufficient health literacy.CONCLUSIONS:
NCD service seekers have a high rate of inadequate health literacy. Adequate health literacy has the potential to lower the behavioral risk factors of NCDs. [HLRP Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(1)e12-e20.].ABSTRACT
PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY:
This study is the first to address the knowledge gap regarding the state of NCD-related health literacy in Bangladesh. The findings of this study can be used by policymakers to create initiatives that will improve the health literacy of people seeking primary health care for NCDs.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Alfabetización en Salud
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Enfermedades no Transmisibles
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Qualitative_research
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
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Humans
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Male
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Health Lit Res Pract
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article