Health literacy was identified as an important determinant of health, particularly for adolescents. However, more efforts are needed to monitor this construct and provide inputs for policy development. This study aims to: (a) Assess the validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC-I); (b) Identify the health literacy levels among Italian students and compare them with other countries' levels; and (c) Identify the associations between health literacy and multiple social determinants (social stratifiers, family, and school connectedness). Data came from the Health Behaviour School-Aged Children survey, carried out in the Lombardy region in northern Italy in 2018. A representative sample of 2,287 13- and 15-year-old Lombardian students was involved. The results support the validity and reliability of the HLSAC-I. A total of 18.7% of the sample reported low levels, and only 6.8% reported high levels. Italian students reported the lowest levels of health literacy compared with other countries. School connectedness and educational approach are the most relevant associated factors. This study confirms a school's role in reducing inequalities and promoting health. It highlights the importance of monitoring health literacy and implementing health promotion policies at school through a whole-school approach.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18199943 | DOI Listing |
Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz
January 2025
Careum Stiftung, Zentrum für Gesundheitskompetenz, Pestalozzistrasse 3, 8032, Zürich, Schweiz.
Health literacy is a central resource for health-related decisions. Since the 1970s, however, the understanding of this term has changed in several ways. Initially, health literacy was considered only from the point of view of individual competencies, but in recent decades it has evolved into a more contextual understanding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOral Health Prev Dent
January 2025
Purpose: Health education programmes play a crucial role in enhancing oral health literacy and improving treatment outcomes. However, myths and misconceptions about oral health are widespread, affecting individuals' behaviours and their willingness to seek appropriate treatment. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oral health myths and misconceptions among adults in Taif, Saudi Arabia, and to explore potential associations with demographic factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCroat Med J
December 2024
Haxhi Kamberi, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gjakova "Fehmi Agani", Str. "Sabrije Vokshi-Bija", n.n., 50 000 Gjakova, Kosovo,
Aim: To assess the behavioral correlates of health literacy (HL) among university students of health sciences in Kosovo, irrespective of their sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods: This cross-sectional study, carried out in Kosovo in 2024, enrolled 470 students of health sciences from the universities of Prishtina and Gjakova (86% women; mean age: 20.7±2.
Dementia (London)
January 2025
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Australia.
Dementia is one of the fastest emerging global public health concerns today, as the World Health Organisation has predicted that the number of cases will triple from 55 million in 2023 to 152 million by 2050. Current evidence indicates that approximately 45% of dementia cases can be prevented or delayed by acting on potentially modifiable risk factors. However, public knowledge regarding this remains unknown in numerous poorly resourced countries, including Nepal, where the prevalence of dementia continues to increase.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPEC Innov
June 2025
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Epidemiology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Background: Culturally appropriate educational materials are necessary to improve health literacy among Indigenous populations. However, practically no such materials have been cross-culturally adapted and validated for Indigenous peoples based on compliance with efficacy components.
Objective: To perform a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of audiovisual educational materials for adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis belonging to Indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico.
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