Health Literacy of Employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences and Related Demographic Factors

Abstract

Background and Objective: One of the important determinants of health in every society is health literacy. The present study was conducted to determine health literacy status of employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences and related factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2016 among 188 employees in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. The participants were selected through the stratified sampling method. The data collection instrument was Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA), which was completed through self-report. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression in SPSS version 22. Results: Most of the participants )74.5%( received health-related information through the Internet. Among the five dimensions of health literacy, the comprehension dimension of health information was more desirable. The highest correlation coefficient between health literacy dimensions was related to the relationship between comprehension and decision-making (r=0.582, P<0.01). On average, health literacy of employees was borderline, and age, marital status, educational status, and sources of information were predictors of health literacy (P<0.05). Conclusion: Overall, the results of the study showed that the average health literacy of employees was borderline. It seems that interventions based on demographic characteristics are required to improve the health literacy status of employees.

Keywords

• Demographic Variables
• Employees
• Health Literacy
• Iran