Health Literacy-Related Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Barriers: A Cross-sectional Study among Physicians, Pharmacists, and Nurses in Public Hospitals of Penang, Malaysia

Abstract Background In China, post-abortion care (PAC) services mainly focus on married couples, such that adolescents and unmarried young womenhave limited access to those services for contraception counseling. The provision of youth-friendly PAC services in public hospitals is a new concept in China. This study examined the magnitude of PAC services utilization as well as factors influencing it’s uptake among adolescents and young women in Guangzhou, China. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed from 1st March 2020 to 30th September 2020 using anonymous self-administered questionnaire among 688 women aged 15–24 years in Tianhe district, Guangzhou. The Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors that were significantly associated with the uptake of PAC services. Results The magnitude of PAC services utilization was 35.9% among adolescents and young women in Guangzhou, China. Students were 69.0% significantly less likely to use PAC services compared to women who had no job. Immigrants were 59.0% significantly less likely to use PAC services than their native counterparts. Women who had a feeling of stigma were 70.0% significantly less likely to use PAC services compared to those who did not feel stigmatized. Conclusions The study highlights the need to strengthen youth-friendly PAC services provision, and emphasizes the importance of education about both family planning and abortion services among disadvantaged sub-groups of women in the study setting.

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The Prevalence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Associated Factors Among Enteral Fed Preterm and Low Birth Weight Neonates Admitted in Selected Public Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study

Global Pediatric Health ◽

10.1177/2333794x211019695 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 2333794X2110196

Author(s):

Sitotaw Molla Mekonnen ◽

Daniel Mengistu Bekele ◽

Fikrtemariam Abebe Fenta ◽

Addisu Dabi Wake

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Necrotizing Enterocolitis ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains to be the most critical and frequent gastrointestinal disorder understood in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). The presented study was intended to assess the prevalence of NEC and associated factors among enteral Fed preterm and low birth weight neonates. Institution based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 enteral Fed preterm and low birth weight neonates who were admitted at selected public hospitals of Addis Ababa from March 25/2020 to May 10/2020. The data were collected through neonates’ medical record chart review. A total of 350 participants were enrolled in to the study with the response rate of 99.43%. One hundred eighty-four (52.6%) of them were male. The majority 123 (35.1%) of them were (32 + 1 to 34) weeks gestational age. The prevalence of NEC was (25.4%) (n = 89, [95% CI; 21.1, 30.0]). Being ≤28 weeks gestational age (AOR = 3.94, 95% CI [2.67, 9.97]), being (28 + 1 to 32 weeks) gestational age (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI [2.21, 8.31]), birth weight of 1000 to 1499 g (AOR = 2.29, 95% CI [1.22, 4.33]), APGAR score ≤3 (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI [1.32, 4.16]), prolonged labor (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI [1.35, 6.38]), maternal chronic disease particularly hypertension (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI [1.70, 5.90]), chorioamnionitis (AOR = 4.8, 95% CI [3.9, 13]), failure to breath/resuscitated (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI [1.7, 4.4]), CPAP ventilation (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI [1.50, 12.70]), mixed milk (AOR = 3.58, 95% CI [2.16, 9.32]) were factors significantly associated with NEC. Finally, the prevalence of NEC in the study area was high. So that, initiating the programs that could minimize this problem is required to avoid the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with NEC.

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Insights into the Predictors of Attitude toward Entomophagy: The Potential Role of Health Literacy: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in a Sample of Students of the University of Florence

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105306 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5306

Author(s):

Chiara Lorini ◽

Laura Ricotta ◽

Virginia Vettori ◽

Marco Del Riccio ◽

Massimiliano Alberto Biamonte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Potential Role ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

University Of Florence ◽

The University ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire

In Western countries, one of the main barriers to entomophagy is repulsion toward insects. Few studies have investigated the factors that influence attitudes toward entomophagy. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 248 university students, focusing on disgust and other potential attributes that can influence insect consumption, including health literacy. We used a 17-item self-administered questionnaire. Consistent with the literature, two items were chosen as outcome variables to evaluate the predictors of the propensity to consume insects: “Have you ever eaten insects or insect-based products?” and “How disgusting do you find eating insects?” The data analysis shows that having already eaten insects is inversely associated with the level of disgust (OR: 0.1, p < 0.01); and it is positively associated with higher levels of health literacy (OR: 3.66, p > 0.01). Additionally, having some knowledge and information about entomophagy is inversely associated with a higher level of disgust (OR: 0.44, p = 0.03 and OR: 0.25, p = 0.03, respectively), while being female is positively associated with disgust (OR: 3.26, p < 0.01). Our results suggest the potential role of health literacy, in addition to other factors, in influencing the willingness to taste insects. However, further studies involving larger and non-convenience samples are needed to confirm our hypothesis.

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Low health literacy is associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Germany

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10508-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Tajdar ◽

Dagmar Lühmann ◽

Regina Fertmann ◽

Tim Steinberg ◽

Hendrik van den Bussche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Statistical Models ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Diabetes Risk ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Low Health Literacy ◽

The Individual

Abstract Background Low health literacy is believed to be associated with behaviours that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. But there is limited knowledge on the relation between health literacy (HL) and diabetes risk, and whether improving HL could be a potential prevention strategy. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to examine the link between HL and diabetes risk among non-diabetic adults. Methods We used data from the Hamburg Diabetes Prevention Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study in Germany. One thousand, two hundred and fifty-five non-diabetic subjects aged 18–60 years were eligible. The German Diabetes Risk Score (GDRS, ranging 0 to 123 points) was used to determine the individual risk of type 2 diabetes. The short version of the European Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16, ranging 0 to 16 points) was applied to assess the individual self-reported HL. Subjects were asked to self-estimate their diabetes risk, which was then compared with the calculated GDRS. Descriptive statistics were calculated to investigate group differences in the GDRS and self-estimated diabetes risk. Linear as well as logistic regression models were performed to analyse potential influencing variables of the GDRS as well as incorrect self-estimated diabetes risk. In three nested statistical models for each outcome, these analyses were adjusted for age, gender, educational level and the presence of chronic conditions. Results According to the criteria of the GDRS, 996 (79.4%) subjects showed “low risk”, 176 (14.0%) “still low risk”, 53 (4.2%) “elevated risk”, and 30 (2.4%) “high to very high risk” to develop type 2 diabetes within the next 5 years. In the statistical models including all control variables, subjects with “inadequate HL” scored 2.38 points higher on the GDRS (95% CI 0.378 to 4.336; P = 0.020) and had a 2.04 greater chance to estimate their diabetes risk incorrectly (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.33 to 3.14; P = 0.001) compared to those with “sufficient HL”. Conclusion The risk of type 2 diabetes is increased in people with inadequate self-reported HL. People with high diabetes risk and inadequate HL might be provided with educational programs to improve diabetes knowledge and reduce behavioural risk factors.

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Communicative health literacy in patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Tropical Medicine and Health ◽

10.1186/s41182-021-00345-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Desalew Tilahun ◽

Abebe Abera ◽

Gugsa Nemera

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Source Population ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Health Literacy Level ◽

Literacy Level

Abstract Background Health literacy plays a prominent role in empowering individuals for prevention as well as management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is paucity of information on the health literacy of patients with non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess communicative health literacy and associated factors in patients with NCDs on follow-up at Jimma Medical Center (JMC), Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from 4 May 2020 to 4 July 2020 with 408 randomly selected adult patients, attending outpatient department of JMC in Ethiopia. The final sample size was obtained by using single population proportion formula. All patients with NCDs who were on follow-up at chronic illness clinic, JMC, were used as a source population. All eligible patients with NCDs who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in this study. A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data were collected through structured interviewer administered questionnaires on the six of nine health literacy domains using Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) containing 30 items, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, disease-related factors, and health information sources. Multivariable logistic regression was executed to determine the associations. Result Descriptive analysis shows more than half of the respondents in four of the six health literacy domains had high communicative health literacy level (CHLL). The proportion of people with high CHLL across each of the domains was as follows: health care provider support (56.1%), social support for health (53.7%), active engagement with a healthcare provider (56.1%), and navigating healthcare system (53.4%). We found educational status was significantly associated with five of six health literacy domains whereas number of sources was associated with four of six health literacy domains. Conclusion The overall findings of the current study indicate that health literacy levels vary according to socio-demographic and disease characteristics of patients. Thus, healthcare professionals should assess patients’ health literacy level and tailor information and support to the health literacy skills and personal context of their patients.

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Dissociation, Cognitive Reflection and Health Literacy Have a Modest Effect on Belief in Conspiracy Theories about COVID-19

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105065 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5065

Author(s):

Vojtech Pisl ◽

Jan Volavka ◽

Edita Chvojkova ◽

Katerina Cechova ◽

Gabriela Kavalirova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Online Survey ◽

Digital Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Cognitive Reflection ◽

Variance Explained ◽

Modest Effect

Understanding the predictors of belief in COVID-related conspiracy theories and willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 may aid the resolution of current and future pandemics. We investigate how psychological and cognitive characteristics influence general conspiracy mentality and COVID-related conspiracy theories. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on data from an online survey of a sample of Czech university students (n = 866) collected in January 2021, using multivariate linear regression and mediation analysis. Sixteen percent of respondents believed that COVID-19 is a hoax, and 17% believed that COVID-19 was intentionally created by humans. Seven percent of the variance of the hoax theory and 10% of the variance of the creation theory was explained by (in descending order of relevance) low cognitive reflection, low digital health literacy, high experience with dissociation and, to some extent, high bullshit receptivity. Belief in COVID-related conspiracy theories depended less on psychological and cognitive variables compared to conspiracy mentality (16% of the variance explained). The effect of digital health literacy on belief in COVID-related theories was moderated by cognitive reflection. Belief in conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 was influenced by experience with dissociation, cognitive reflection, digital health literacy and bullshit receptivity.

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Magnitude of Cesarean Section Delivery and Its Associated Factors Among Mothers Who Gave Birth at Public Hospitals in Northern Ethiopia: Institution-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare ◽

10.2147/jmdh.s277747 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol Volume 13 ◽

pp. 1563-1571

Author(s):

Melese Ayalew ◽

Bizatu Mengistie ◽

Merga Dheresa ◽

Asmamaw Demis

Keyword(s):

Cesarean Section ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Northern Ethiopia ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cesarean Section Delivery

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Exploring Health Literacy in Medical University Students of Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0152547 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e0152547 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yan Zhang ◽

Fan Zhang ◽

Ping Hu ◽

Wenjie Huang ◽

Lu Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

University Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical University

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Factors associated with physical inactivity among female and male rural adolescents in Borneo – a cross-sectional study

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2013-0319 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 447-453 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Whye Lian Cheah ◽

Hazmi Helmy ◽

Ching Thon Chang

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Perceived Barriers ◽

Anthropometric Measurement ◽

Rural Adolescents ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Rural communities have shown marked increase in metabolic syndrome among young people, with physical inactivity as one of the main contributing factors. This study aimed to determine factors associated with physical inactivity among male and female rural adolescents in a sample of schools in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 145 students aged 13–15 years. Data on socio-demographic, health-related, and psychosocial factors (perceived barriers, self-efficacy, social influences) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Anthropometric measurement was taken to generate body mass index (BMI)-for-age, while physical activity (PA) level was assessed using pedometers. The mean steps per day was 6251.37 (SD=3085.31) with males reported as being more active. About 27% of the respondents were either overweight or obese, with more females in this group. There was no significant difference in steps among males and females (p=0.212), and nutritional status (BMI-for-age) (p=0.439). Females consistently scored higher in most items under perceived barriers, but had significantly lower scores in self-efficacy’s items. Males were more influenced by peers in terms of PA (p<0.001) and were more satisfied with their body parts (p=0.047). A significantly higher body size discrepancy score was found among females (p=0.034, CI –0.639, –0.026). PA level was low and almost one-third of the respondents were overweight and obese. Female students faced more barriers and had lower self-efficacy with regards PA. Based on the findings, it is recommended that interventions focus on reducing barriers while increasing support for PA. This is particularly important in improving the health status of the youth, especially among the females.

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