Background: Health literacy is one of the most important determinants of noncommunicable diseases prevention. Health literacy is associated with elevated risks for poorer access to care, adverse health outcomes, and increased hospitalization and health costs. Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of health literacy among the general adult population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study during 2014-2015 with a multistage cluster sampling approach, we administered a pilot-tested standardized questionnaire to assess different domains of health literacy (i.e., reading, comprehension, communication/decision-making and Interpretation/judgment skills, individual and social empowerment, health information access and health information use) among 8439 (3935 males) individuals aged 18-60 years. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression method using SPSS (20) were applied to identify the factors associated with health literacy among Iranian adults. Results: The mean health literacy level was 10.2±3.8 (out of 20). Only 18% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.15-18.78) of the participants had adequate health literacy, while 45.7% (95% CI: 44.64-46.78) had inadequate, and the 36.3% (95% CI: 35.21-37.33) had moderate health literacy. In the adjusted linear regression model, education level (the smallest β = 4.35, P < 0.001), age (β = 0.01, P = 0.002), female sex (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), residency in rural areas (β = 0.26, P < 0.001) and having permanent job (β = 1.03, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with more health literacy. Conclusion: Our findings highlighted that the Iranian adult population has an insufficient level of health literacy, which calls for comprehensive education planning to improve the levels, with special attention to certain subpopulations (e.g. illiterate populations) and domains (e.g. individual empowerment).

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Background and Objectives: Physical inactivity is one of the four major causes of death worldwide. Various studies have shown that physical activity in women, especially in suburban areas, is more than average, and community-based interventions can improve this situation. The objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a community-based intervention to increase physical activity in adult women in a suburban area Qom city. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on adult women in two suburban areas Qom city. Sampling was performed using cluster sampling and 297 subjects were selected. The physical activity of women was assessed by the community-based health promotion program using an ecological framework. Results: In this study, more than 50% of women had insufficient physical activity. Based on independent t-test results, there was a significant difference between the mean score of total physical activity between the two groups before and after the intervention; so that the mean of this difference in the intervention group was obtained 214.18±757.82 MET-minutes/week and in the control group-36.85±279.17 MET-minutes/week. This difference was significant for moderate physical activity and walking and was not significant for severe physical activity. Conclusion: Considering that in this study, community-based and multi-level intervention was performed, thus, it seems that the effect of a set of interventional factors, has been able to increase the level of physical activity in the intervention women.