Investigation of the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviours and health literacy in university students

Abstract

The investigation of healthy lifestyle behaviours and health literacy, a topic of increasing interest in public health, is of particular importance in the context of young people, a crucial phase of human life. These behaviours have the capacity to influence the course of subsequent periods of life. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviors and health literacy among university students. The design of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional. The population of the study consisted of 1210 students enrolled in 2 different faculties randomly selected in a university in eastern Turkiye. The research was completed with 495 participants. The study utilized the 'personal information form,' 'healthy lifestyle behaviors scale' (HLBS), and 'health literacy scale' (HLS) to collect its data. The participant students' mean scores for the ‘HLBS', and ‘HLS' were 133.28±22.86 and 32.05±8.38, respectively. The study also identified a positive and moderate relationship between the HLBS and HLS mean scores (r=0.453, p [Med-Science 2025; 14(1.000): 103-10]

Keywords

• public health
• health behavior
• health literacy
• student health services
• sociodemographic factors