TY - JOUR
T1 - Health literacy and behavioral health factors in adults
AU - Olisarova, V.
AU - Kaas, J.
AU - Staskova, V.
AU - Bartlova, S.
AU - Papp, K.
AU - Nagorska, M.
AU - Korucova, R.
AU - Reifsnider, E.
N1 - Funding Information:
At the end of 2014, the Czech Republic (CR) prepared the implementation strategy for the HLS health literacy survey as part of the Program Health 2020. 17 The National Institute of Public Health conducted the survey with financial support from the Ministry of Health and the Czech WHO office. The design and methodology of the survey were congruent with the project HLS-EU. The sample size was 1037 people aged more than 18 years from all regions of the country. Health literacy was measured in the areas of health care, disease prevention, and health promotion. Results showed 59% of participants showed limited general health literacy; only 50% of the population showed evidence of health literacy in obtaining and using health care. Fifty-four percent were health literate in disease prevention, whereas 65% were health literate in health promotion. The connection between health literacy and age, education, social status, and health behavior was unmistakable. Results also indicate that health literacy in CR is significantly lower than in other European countries. 17
Funding Information:
The project ?Health literacy of selected groups in the South Bohemian Region? was conducted as a part of a program for the development of science and research at The Faculty of Health and Social Studies, University of South Bohemia in ?esk? Bud?jovice, CZ (Numbered ZGO2016_001).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Royal Society for Public Health
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - Objectives: This study was to examine the relationship between health literacy (HL) and health behaviors in the South Bohemia Region in the Czech Republic (CR) and compare them to HL and health behaviors in the Visegrád group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). The paper reports the results from the research in the CR. Study design: A quantitative descriptive study. Methods: The sample was stratified by sex and age and included a representative sample of 303 adults. The data were collected using the combination of a country-specific questionnaire with the HLS-EU-16 standardized questionnaire. Results: Exercise was significantly associated with perceived health and HL; those with a lower level of HL did not exercise during the previous month. Based only on full answers (N = 251), inadequate HL was identified in 17.5% of the respondents (44), marginal HL in 31.5% (77), and adequate HL in 51% (128) of the respondents. Nearly 49% of the participants evaluated their health as ‘good’, 25.7% rated their health as ‘very good’ and ‘satisfactory’ by 25.7%. But 41.6% experienced one or more chronic diseases, 37.6% had some limitations to their health, and 20.5% smoked. For alcohol consumption, 26% drank weekly and 23% drank two to three times a month. Exercise varied from never (29.7%) to daily (7.9%). Conclusion: Based on our results, we conclude that health behavior risk factors are still present in the South Bohemia region of the CR regardless of levels of HL reported on the HLS-EU-16.
AB - Objectives: This study was to examine the relationship between health literacy (HL) and health behaviors in the South Bohemia Region in the Czech Republic (CR) and compare them to HL and health behaviors in the Visegrád group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). The paper reports the results from the research in the CR. Study design: A quantitative descriptive study. Methods: The sample was stratified by sex and age and included a representative sample of 303 adults. The data were collected using the combination of a country-specific questionnaire with the HLS-EU-16 standardized questionnaire. Results: Exercise was significantly associated with perceived health and HL; those with a lower level of HL did not exercise during the previous month. Based only on full answers (N = 251), inadequate HL was identified in 17.5% of the respondents (44), marginal HL in 31.5% (77), and adequate HL in 51% (128) of the respondents. Nearly 49% of the participants evaluated their health as ‘good’, 25.7% rated their health as ‘very good’ and ‘satisfactory’ by 25.7%. But 41.6% experienced one or more chronic diseases, 37.6% had some limitations to their health, and 20.5% smoked. For alcohol consumption, 26% drank weekly and 23% drank two to three times a month. Exercise varied from never (29.7%) to daily (7.9%). Conclusion: Based on our results, we conclude that health behavior risk factors are still present in the South Bohemia region of the CR regardless of levels of HL reported on the HLS-EU-16.
KW - Active ageing
KW - Behavioral health factors
KW - Health
KW - Health literacy
KW - Visegrád group countries
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U2 - 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.11.011
DO - 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.11.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 33360294
AN - SCOPUS:85098470913
SN - 0033-3506
VL - 190
SP - 75
EP - 81
JO - Public Health
JF - Public Health
ER -