Health literacy among university students in Greece: determinants and association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks

Abstract

BackgroundHealth literacy is widely considered as a key determinant of health and a priority in the public health policy agenda. Low health literacy has been associated with poorer health states, broader inequalities and higher health systems’ costs. In the present study we bring into focus the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, researching and assessing mainly their ability to apply basic knowledge in a health context.MethodsThe study was carried out during the period 15–30 April 2013, among a random sample of 1,526 students of 14 Higher Tertiary Public universities and Technological Educational Institutes in Greece. The objective of the study was to assess the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, adopting the short four-item comprehension test of Bostock and Steptoe. Summary statistics, correlations and regressions were used to assess the determinants of health literacy and the association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks.ResultsEconomic factors, such as family income, demographic factors, such as gender, and health behaviours and risks, namely consumption of alcohol, smoking and physical workout are associated with the level of health literacy and health status of the participant. While the results of the study are consistent with previous work in this area, several findings worth further research.ConclusionsThough, health promotion interventions in Greece include health literacy as one of the basic pillars of the public health policy agenda, it is clear, that health literacy needs to become a key policy issue in Greece, mainly focusing in young ages, where healthy (or unhealthy) behaviours are established affecting the health through the life span.

Environment and health: Risk perception and its determinants among Italian university students

“…These results are partially in accordance with scientific literature, in which the level of health literacy increased with the grade of school education (Zhang et al, 2016;Dolezel et al, 2018). Moreover, further positive associations where found according to female gender and high family income (Vozikis et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2016;Sukys et al, 2017).…”

Health Literacy of University Students and its Influential Factors: A Case Study at Isfahan University

“…‫"ﻧﻪ‬ ‫دﺳﺘﻪ‬ ‫دو‬ ‫ﻣﺠﻤﻮع‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﮐﺎﻓﯽ‬ ‫ﭼﻨﺪان‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫"ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫دﺳﺘﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﮐﺎﻓﯽ"،‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫"ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫دﺳﺘﻪ‬ ‫ﮐﺎﻓﯽ"‬ ‫و‬ ‫"ﻋﺎﻟﯽ‬ ‫دﺳﺘﻪ‬ ‫دو‬ ‫ﻣﺠﻤﻮع‬ ‫از‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻣﺤﺪود"‬ ‫ﺷﺪ‬ ‫اﺳﺘﺨﺮاج‬ ‫ﻣﻄﻠﻮب"،‬ [12] ‫در‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻟﺠﺴﺘﯿﮏ‬ ‫رﮔﺮﺳﯿﻮن‬ ‫اﺳﺘﻔﺎده‬ ‫ﻣﻮرد‬ ‫ﮔﺮﻓﺖ. ‬ ‫ﻗﺮار‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫اﺳﺖ‬ ‫ذﮐﺮ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻻزم‬ ‫ﻣﺘﻐ‬ ‫ورود‬ ‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﺮﻫﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺻﻮرت‬ ‫ﻫﻤﺰﻣﺎن‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺑﺎ‬ ‫روش‬ ‫ﻣﺘﻐ‬ ‫ﺗﻘﺎﺑﻞ‬ ‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﺮﻫﺎ‬ ‫ی‬ ‫ﻃﺒﻘﻪ‬ ‫ﻣﺴﺘﻘﻞ‬ ‫ﺑﻨﺪ‬ ‫ی‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺷﺪه‬ ‫ﺷﺎﺧﺺ‬ ‫ﺻﻮرت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺷﺪ‬ ‫اﻧﺠﺎم‬ ‫اوﻟ‬ ‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻃﺒﻘﻪ‬ ‫ﻣﺘﻐﯿﺮﻫﺎ‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫اﻧﺘﺨﺎب‬ ‫ﻣﺮﺟﻊ‬ ‫ﻃﺒﻘﻪ‬ ، ‫ﻋﻈﯿﻤﯽ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ [15] ، ‫ﻣﻼﺧﻠﯿﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ ‫و‬ [22] ، ‫ووزﯾﮑﯿﺲ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ ‫و‬ [18] ‫و‬ ‫ژاﻧﮓ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﮐﻮﺋﯽ‬ [17] ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺪاﺷﺖ،‬ ‫ﻫﻤﺨﻮاﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﺳﻄﺢ‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫ﻃﻮری‬ ‫ﻓﻮق‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﺎت‬ ‫ﺗﻤﺎﻣﯽ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺴﺒﺖ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫در‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺑﻮد.‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻻﺗﺮ‬ ‫اﻟﺬﮐﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﻫﻤﺨﻮاﻧﯽ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫اﺣﺘﻤﺎﻟﯽ‬ ‫دﻻﯾﻞ‬ ‫اﺑﺰا‬ ‫ﺗﻔﺎوت‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺗﻮان‬ ‫اﻧﺪازه‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﮔﯿﺮ‬ ‫ی‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﺎت‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ [15,17,18,22] ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺴﺒﺖ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻻﺗﺮ‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺼﯿﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﻣﻘﺎﻃﻊ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن‬ ‫وﺟﻮد‬ ‫ﻫﻤﭽﻨﯿﻦ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻓﻮق‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﺎت‬ ‫ﺗﻤﺎﻣﯽ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﮐﺮد.‬ ‫اﺷﺎره‬ ‫اﻟﺬﮐﺮ‬ [15,18,21,22] ‫ﻓﻘﻂ‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﻟﯽ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺑﻮدﻧﺪ،‬ ‫ﺷﺪه‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫وارد‬ ‫ﮐﺎرﺷﻨﺎﺳﯽ‬ ‫ﻣﻘﻄﻊ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن‬ ‫ﻣﻄ‬ ‫در‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﻧﯿﺰ‬ ‫ﺗﮑﻤﯿﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺼﯿﻼت‬ ‫ﻣﻘﺎﻃﻊ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻻﺗﺮ‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺼﯿﻼت‬ ‫ﺳﻄﺢ‬ ‫ﺗﺎﺛﯿﺮ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺗﻮﺟﻪ‬ ‫ﺑﺎ‬ ‫ﻟﺬا‬ ‫داﺷﺘﻨﺪ.‬ ‫ﺣﻀﻮر‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﮐﺎﻓﯽ‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﺷﯿﻮع‬ ‫در‬ [12,23] ‫اﺳﺖ.‬ ‫ﺗﺒﯿﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﻗﺎﺑﻞ‬ ‫ﻧﺘﯿﺠﻪ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ، ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺘﺎﯾﺞ‬ ‫ﺑﺎ‬ ‫ﻗﺴﻤﺖ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫ﻧﺘﺎﯾﺞ‬ ‫ﻓﺮح‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪی‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ ‫و‬ [24] ‫و‬ ‫ﺿ‬ ‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﺎﭘﻮر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﮐﯿﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﭘﻮر‬ [25] ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫اﺣﺘﻤﺎﻟﯽ‬ ‫دﻻﯾﻞ‬ ‫از‬ ‫داﺷﺖ.‬ ‫ﻫﻤﺨﻮاﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﺨﻮاﻧﯽ‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﺑﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫دو‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﺴﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺗﻮان‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺼﯿﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﻣﻘﺎﻃﻊ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن‬ ‫وﺟﻮد‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﺳﻨﺠﺶ‬ ‫اﺑﺰار‬ ‫ﻧﻈﺮ‬ ‫ﮐﺮد.‬ ‫اﺷﺎره‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻞ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﮑﺪه‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﺑﯿﻦ‬ ‫داد‬ ‫ﻧﺸﺎن‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﻧﺘﺎﯾﺞ‬ ‫راﺑﻄﻪ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺼﯿﻞ‬ ‫آﻣﺎری‬ ‫ﻣﻌﻨ‬ ‫ﯽ‬ ‫دار‬ ‫ﺑﺎ‬ ‫ﯾﺎﻓﺘﻪ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫داﺷﺖ.‬ ‫وﺟﻮد‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﺎت‬ ‫ﻧﺘﺎﯾﺞ‬ ‫ﻣﻼﺧﻠﯿﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ ‫و‬ [22] ، ‫ﻓﺮح‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪی‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬…”

“…‫ژاﻧﮓ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﮐﻮﺋﯽ‬ [17] ‫ﺳﻼﻣﺖ‬ ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﺳﻄﺢ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫در‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﭘﺎﯾﯿﻦ‬ ‫داﻧﺸﺠﻮﯾﺎن،‬ ‫ووزﯾﮑﯿﺲ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﮑﺎران‬ ‫و‬ [18] ‫ﺳﻮاد‬ ‫ﻧﺤﻮه‬ ‫اﻣﺘﯿﺎزدﻫﯽ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫ﺻﻮرت‬ ‫اﺳﺖ‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫اﺑﺘﺪا‬ ‫اﻣﺘﯿﺎز‬ ‫ﺧﺎم‬ ‫ﻫﺮ‬ ‫ﻓﺮد‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﻫﺮ‬ ‫ﯾﮏ‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺣﯿﻄﻪ‬ ‫ﻫﺎ‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺟﻤﻊ‬ ‫ﺟﺒﺮی‬ ‫اﻣﺘﯿﺎزات‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫دﺳﺖ‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ ‫آﯾﺪ.‬ ‫ﺳﭙﺲ‬ ‫ﺑﺮای‬ ‫ﺗﺒﺪﯾﻞ‬ ‫اﯾﻦ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻣﺘﯿﺎز‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻃﯿﻒ‬ ‫ﺻﻔﺮ‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ١٠٠ ‫از‬ ‫ﻓﺮﻣﻮل‬ ‫ﺗﻔﺎﺿﻞ‬ ‫ﻧﻤﺮه‬ ‫ﺧﺎم‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫دﺳﺖ‬ ‫آﻣﺪه‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺣﺪاﻗﻞ‬ ‫ﻧﻤﺮه‬ ‫ﺧﺎم‬ ‫ﻣﻤﮑﻦ‬ ‫ﺗﻘﺴﯿﻢ‬ ‫ﺑﺮ‬ ‫ﺗﻔﺎﺿﻞ‬ ‫ﺣﺪاﮐﺜﺮ‬ ‫اﻣﺘﯿﺎز‬ ‫ﻣﻤﮑﻦ‬ ‫از‬ ‫ﺣﺪاﻗ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫اﻣﺘﯿﺎز‬ ‫ﻣﻤﮑﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬…”

Comparing Well-Tested Health Literacy Measures for Oral Health: A Pilot Assessment

“…Some studies have supported the association between low health literacy and perceived poor health status (Hsu, Chiang, & Yang, 2014; Vozikis, Drivas, & Milioris, 2014). However, a few authors have argued for no relationship.…”