Health literacy and pandemic coping in Leisure Time Monitors

Abstract

Introduction: Health literacy allows us to make appropriate decisions about our self-care and to use health services appropriately, therefore, it conditions people’s health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the level of health literacy of leisure time monitors and the influence of self-perception of health in times of pandemic. Study design: We used a cross-sectional observational design with non-probabilistic purposive sampling among leisure time monitors in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (Spain). Method: For this purpose, the HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire measuring health literacy and a questionnaire measuring perception of COVID-19 were used. Results: The results verify that the monitors consider that the pandemic affects their daily life, that it will be a situation that will last for a long time, and they are very worried. The low level of health literacy of the leisure time monitors is also confirmed. Conclusions: Therefore, it seems urgent to evaluate the existing training programme and to include health education contents in this programme, given the involvement of leisure time monitors in the training of children and adolescents.