Investigating the Association of Health Literacy With Health Knowledge and Health Behavior Outcomes in a Sample of Urban Community College Undergraduates

Comprehensive Health Literacy Among Undergraduates: A Ghanaian University-Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…In Europe, limited health literacy was found in 47.6% of a general population sample achieving mean score of 33.8 (Sorensen et al, 2015). Furthermore, university-based studies, especially in the United States and Canada, have reported better levels of health literacy (about 7%–15% limited health literacy), although most of these studies relate to functional rather than comprehensive health literacy (Hansen et al, 2015; Ickes & Cottrell, 2010; Joseph et al, 2016). Students mainly struggled with health literacy items dealing with judging if a second opinion is necessary from another health care professional and finding information about the treatment of mental health diseases such as depression and stress (Table A) .…”

“…Therefore, it is not surprising that students in upper classes had higher mean scores as health literacy is closely associated with the level of educational attainment. Most university-based health literacy studies have demonstrated increasing health literacy with an increase in academic level (Hansen et al, 2015; Wang et al, 2014; Zhang et al, 2016a; Zhang et al, 2016b). There was a significant difference in health literacy mean scores based on the financial status of students with poorer students having significantly lower mean scores.…”

“…Furthermore, there appear to be regional variations in health literacy levels among undergraduate students. Some studies indicate good levels of health literacy among university students (Hansen, Shneyderman, & Belcastro, 2015; Ickes & Cottrell, 2010; Joseph, Fernandes, Hyers, & O'Brien, 2016; Vozikis, Drivas, & Milioris, 2014), whereas others indicate poor to moderate levels of health literacy among students (Runk, Durham, Vongxay, & Sychareun, 2017; Wang et al, 2014; Zhang et al, 2016a; Zhang et al, 2016b). In Ghana, there are currently no studies evaluating the health literacy levels among university students.…”

Addressing the Antinomy Between Health Education and Health Literacy in Advancing Personal Health and Public Health Outcomes

“…The researchers reported that while health-literate undergraduates scored higher health knowledge scores than their nonhealth-literate cohorts, the health-literate undergraduates' threshold of health knowledge in the 5 health cognition domains examined would not support an assumption of informed health decision-making. 42 There is notable evidence of health literacy standards incapacity to appraise the ability of a person to determine the validity of scientific information; to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services; acquire the motivation to render informed health decisions; and just as importantly exhibit positive health behaviors. Nonetheless, such evidence is generally ignored.…”

Development of Dietary Information Literacy Scale for Competition (DILS-C) in Japanese College Athletes

“…Moreover, health literacy can be divided into three levels, i.e., functional, communicative, and critical: functional literacy-sufficient basic skills in reading and writing to be able to function effectively in everyday situations; communicative literacymore advanced skills to participate actively in every activities, to extract information and derive meaning from different forms of communication, and to apply new information to changing circumstances; critical literacy-more advanced skills to analyze information critically and to use this information to exert greater control over life events and sitations (7). Previous studies have reported a link between the level of health literacy and health outcome (6,8,9). By improving people's access to health information and their capacity to use it effectively, health literacy becomes critical to empowerment (6).…”