Measuring adolescents' health literacy

Introduction: Health literacy enables adolescents to access, understand, and evaluate health information, act on it in a relevant and competent way, make decisions, and take measures that promote health in different contexts of everyday life. The study aimed to assess adolescents' health and e-...

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Main Authors: Milutinović Dragana, Vida Željana, Aranđelović Branimirka, Smuđa Mirjana, Živković Dragana
Format: Article
Language:srp
Published: Association of Nurses Technicians and Midwives 2023-01-01
Series:Sestrinska reč
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-8422/2023/0354-84222387004M.pdf
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author Milutinović Dragana
Vida Željana
Aranđelović Branimirka
Smuđa Mirjana
Živković Dragana
author_facet Milutinović Dragana
Vida Željana
Aranđelović Branimirka
Smuđa Mirjana
Živković Dragana
author_sort Milutinović Dragana
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Health literacy enables adolescents to access, understand, and evaluate health information, act on it in a relevant and competent way, make decisions, and take measures that promote health in different contexts of everyday life. The study aimed to assess adolescents' health and e-health literacy levels, evaluate the differences in adolescents' health literacy to sociodemographic characteristics and health determinants, and determine their relationship. Material and methods: The study was designed as an observational, analytical, comparative, and cross-sectional survey of secondary vocational schools and gymnasium pupils. The sample consisted of a total of N = 456 adolescents. The following research instruments were used: The Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA), the e-Health Literacy Assessment Scale (e-HEALS) and a general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data and data on health determinants created for this research. Results: The desired health literacy level was reached by 61.6% of adolescents, and 38.4% were at limited health literacy. A high level of e-health literacy was established in the majority of adolescents. Adolescents showed the highest level of health literacy in understanding health information and communicating about it, and the lowest level was in the domain of calculations. The difference in the level of health literacy was determined by age, school performance and mother's education, as well as by health determinants. The health literacy level and e-health literacy among adolescents are strongly positively correlated. Conclusion: Considering that more than one-third of adolescents have limited health literacy and the impact of health literacy on disease prevention, self-care and quality of life, it is necessary to work on raising the level of health literacy among adolescents through educational interventions.
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spelling doaj.art-595ec37721004c99ac65cf9bea95f0072024-04-04T08:35:22ZsrpAssociation of Nurses Technicians and MidwivesSestrinska reč0354-84222466-51262023-01-01268741110.5937/sestRec2387004M0354-84222387004MMeasuring adolescents' health literacyMilutinović Dragana0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2693-543XVida Željana1Aranđelović Branimirka2Smuđa Mirjana3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7374-1035Živković Dragana4Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Katedra za zdravstvenu negu, Novi Sad, SerbiaUniverzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Novi Sad, SerbiaUniverzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Katedra za zdravstvenu negu, Novi Sad, SerbiaUniverzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Novi Sad, SerbiaUniverzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Katedra za zdravstvenu negu, Novi Sad, SerbiaIntroduction: Health literacy enables adolescents to access, understand, and evaluate health information, act on it in a relevant and competent way, make decisions, and take measures that promote health in different contexts of everyday life. The study aimed to assess adolescents' health and e-health literacy levels, evaluate the differences in adolescents' health literacy to sociodemographic characteristics and health determinants, and determine their relationship. Material and methods: The study was designed as an observational, analytical, comparative, and cross-sectional survey of secondary vocational schools and gymnasium pupils. The sample consisted of a total of N = 456 adolescents. The following research instruments were used: The Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA), the e-Health Literacy Assessment Scale (e-HEALS) and a general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data and data on health determinants created for this research. Results: The desired health literacy level was reached by 61.6% of adolescents, and 38.4% were at limited health literacy. A high level of e-health literacy was established in the majority of adolescents. Adolescents showed the highest level of health literacy in understanding health information and communicating about it, and the lowest level was in the domain of calculations. The difference in the level of health literacy was determined by age, school performance and mother's education, as well as by health determinants. The health literacy level and e-health literacy among adolescents are strongly positively correlated. Conclusion: Considering that more than one-third of adolescents have limited health literacy and the impact of health literacy on disease prevention, self-care and quality of life, it is necessary to work on raising the level of health literacy among adolescents through educational interventions.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-8422/2023/0354-84222387004M.pdfhealth literacyadolescentsquestionnairee-healthinternet
spellingShingle Milutinović Dragana
Vida Željana
Aranđelović Branimirka
Smuđa Mirjana
Živković Dragana
Measuring adolescents' health literacy
Sestrinska reč
health literacy
adolescents
questionnaire
e-health
internet
title Measuring adolescents' health literacy
title_full Measuring adolescents' health literacy
title_fullStr Measuring adolescents' health literacy
title_full_unstemmed Measuring adolescents' health literacy
title_short Measuring adolescents' health literacy
title_sort measuring adolescents health literacy
topic health literacy
adolescents
questionnaire
e-health
internet
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-8422/2023/0354-84222387004M.pdf
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AT aranđelovicbranimirka measuringadolescentshealthliteracy
AT smuđamirjana measuringadolescentshealthliteracy
AT zivkovicdragana measuringadolescentshealthliteracy