Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Health literacy plays a prominent role in empowering individuals for prevention as well as management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is paucity of information on the health literacy of patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-021-00345-9 |
| _version_ | 1818738950188040192 |
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| author | Desalew Tilahun Abebe Abera Gugsa Nemera |
| author_facet | Desalew Tilahun Abebe Abera Gugsa Nemera |
| author_sort | Desalew Tilahun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Health literacy plays a prominent role in empowering individuals for prevention as well as management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is paucity of information on the health literacy of patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess communicative health literacy and associated factors in patients with NCDs on follow-up at Jimma Medical Center (JMC), Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from 4 May 2020 to 4 July 2020 with 408 randomly selected adult patients, attending outpatient department of JMC in Ethiopia. The final sample size was obtained by using single population proportion formula. All patients with NCDs who were on follow-up at chronic illness clinic, JMC, were used as a source population. All eligible patients with NCDs who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in this study. A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data were collected through structured interviewer administered questionnaires on the six of nine health literacy domains using Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) containing 30 items, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, disease-related factors, and health information sources. Multivariable logistic regression was executed to determine the associations. Result Descriptive analysis shows more than half of the respondents in four of the six health literacy domains had high communicative health literacy level (CHLL). The proportion of people with high CHLL across each of the domains was as follows: health care provider support (56.1%), social support for health (53.7%), active engagement with a healthcare provider (56.1%), and navigating healthcare system (53.4%). We found educational status was significantly associated with five of six health literacy domains whereas number of sources was associated with four of six health literacy domains. Conclusion The overall findings of the current study indicate that health literacy levels vary according to socio-demographic and disease characteristics of patients. Thus, healthcare professionals should assess patients’ health literacy level and tailor information and support to the health literacy skills and personal context of their patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:17:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10d0acd5ff064842a07fa9647324260f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1349-4147 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:17:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-10d0acd5ff064842a07fa9647324260f2022-12-21T21:25:56ZengBMCTropical Medicine and Health1349-41472021-07-014911910.1186/s41182-021-00345-9Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional studyDesalew Tilahun0Abebe Abera1Gugsa Nemera2School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma UniversitySchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma UniversitySchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma UniversityAbstract Background Health literacy plays a prominent role in empowering individuals for prevention as well as management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is paucity of information on the health literacy of patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess communicative health literacy and associated factors in patients with NCDs on follow-up at Jimma Medical Center (JMC), Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from 4 May 2020 to 4 July 2020 with 408 randomly selected adult patients, attending outpatient department of JMC in Ethiopia. The final sample size was obtained by using single population proportion formula. All patients with NCDs who were on follow-up at chronic illness clinic, JMC, were used as a source population. All eligible patients with NCDs who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in this study. A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data were collected through structured interviewer administered questionnaires on the six of nine health literacy domains using Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) containing 30 items, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, disease-related factors, and health information sources. Multivariable logistic regression was executed to determine the associations. Result Descriptive analysis shows more than half of the respondents in four of the six health literacy domains had high communicative health literacy level (CHLL). The proportion of people with high CHLL across each of the domains was as follows: health care provider support (56.1%), social support for health (53.7%), active engagement with a healthcare provider (56.1%), and navigating healthcare system (53.4%). We found educational status was significantly associated with five of six health literacy domains whereas number of sources was associated with four of six health literacy domains. Conclusion The overall findings of the current study indicate that health literacy levels vary according to socio-demographic and disease characteristics of patients. Thus, healthcare professionals should assess patients’ health literacy level and tailor information and support to the health literacy skills and personal context of their patients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-021-00345-9Communicative heath literacyNon-communicable diseasesHealth literacy questionnaireEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Desalew Tilahun Abebe Abera Gugsa Nemera Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study Tropical Medicine and Health Communicative heath literacy Non-communicable diseases Health literacy questionnaire Ethiopia |
| title | Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | communicative health literacy in patients with non communicable diseases in ethiopia a cross sectional study |
| topic | Communicative heath literacy Non-communicable diseases Health literacy questionnaire Ethiopia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-021-00345-9 |
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