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EVALUATION OF HEALTH LITERACY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION, CZ, USING THE STANDARDIZED HLSQ16 QUESTIONNAIRE

A. Machova, D. Novakova

Abstract

Introduction: Health literacy is a cognitive and social ability determining the individuals` capability of getting an access to information, comprehending and using the information in a way that promotes and maintains good health. It helps to choose healthy behavior and can influence skills achieved in the childhood. Goal: to identify the level of health literacy in children and adolescents between 12 and 18 years. Methodology: A quantitative survey, a questioning method, a face-to-face dialogue. Data collection using a short form of the standardized HLSQ16 questionnaire designed to identify the health literacy level of population. The sample consisted of 302 children and adolescents at the age between 12 and 18 years living in the South Bohemian Region, CZ. The survey was carried out in 2017. Results: The results showed inadequate health literacy in 11.3%, problematic health literacy in 41.3% and adequate health literacy in 47.3% of the respondents. No significant correlations were proven between health literacy and sex, health literacy and age, health literacy and address and health literacy and the type of school. A significant correlation was identified between health literacy and the respondents` assessments of their own social status. The respondents who assessed their social status as low had lower health literacy than those who found themselves to occupy a higher social position. Conclusion: The survey was a part of the ZGO2016_001 Project called Health Literacy in Selected Groups of South Bohemian Population. The results showed that the health literacy of respondents in the addressed group was not adequate, and attention should be paid to the improvement of health literacy in this age group.

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