Health literacy and its determinants among school-going children: a school-based cross-sectional study in Nepal.

Autor:	Adhikari P; Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal., Paudel K; Department of Research and Knowledge Management, Nepal Health Frontiers, Tokha-5, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal.; Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269 CT, USA., Bhusal S; Department of Research and Knowledge Management, Nepal Health Frontiers, Tokha-5, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal.; Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269 CT, USA., Gautam K; Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269 CT, USA., Khanal P; Department of Research and Publication, Nepal Public Health Association, Jwagal-10, 44700, Lalitpur, Nepal., Adhikari TB; Department of Research and Knowledge Management, Nepal Health Frontiers, Tokha-5, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal.; Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Nordre Ringgade, 1 8000, Aarhus, Denmark., K C P; Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal., Shrestha R; Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269 CT, USA., Shrestha SM; Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj, 44600, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Health promotion international [Health Promot Int] 2024 Aug 01; Vol. 39 (4).
DOI:	10.1093/heapro/daae059
Abstrakt:	Limited health literacy is linked to unhealthy behaviors, adverse health outcomes, poor quality of life and financial burdens on society. However, little is known about the level of health literacy, especially among school-going children. This cross-sectional study assesses health literacy levels and their determinants in 354 school children from Kathmandu Metropolitan City, utilizing a multi-stage cluster sampling method. The 10-item Health Literacy for School-Aged Children was used to measure the student's literacy levels. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression at the significance level of 0.05 were performed to determine factors associated with limited health literacy. The majority of participants (76.6%) had moderate health literacy, while 13.8% had a high level and 9.6% had a low level of health literacy. Students from nuclear families had lower odds [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.8] of having limited health literacy. Students whose mother education was up to secondary school (aOR: 10.1; 95% CI: 1.3-78.9), students with pre-existing mental health conditions (aOR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4-9.6) and students with unsatisfactory health status (aOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.5-10.5) had higher odds to have limited health literacy. These results suggest the importance of prioritizing school health promotion and education activities for students with pre-existing mental health conditions and mothers with low educational attainment. Implementing peer support group programs for children with mental illnesses, mobilizing school health professionals and introducing interventions such as vocational training of mothers can collectively improve health literacy among school-going children. (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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