HEALTH LITERACY LEVELS AND INFLUENCING FACTORS AMONG HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NEPAL

Abstract

Introduction: Health literacy is crucial for informed decision-making in health matters, particularly among Health Science students in Nepal where data on the subject is lacking. Understanding the interplay between health literacy and cultural factors is vital in addressing community health needs. This study aims to fill this gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of health literacy levels and influencing factors among Nepalese health science students.

Method: A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study involving 422 health science students in the Kathmandu Valley was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. The survey consist of European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire and SPSS software was used for analysis at 5% p-value, with a confidence interval of 95%.

Results: he findings showed that socio-demographic characteristics of the students, highlighting a predominant presence of those aged 21-25 (61.6%), primarily female (80.3%), and studying in their 2nd year (46.9%). Regarding health literacy levels, the majority exhibit problematic (75.2%) or sufficient (20.1%) levels, with a smaller proportion having inadequate health literacy (4.7%), and none classified as excellent. Factors such as curriculum impact, faculty qualifications, institutional resources, and use of technology significantly influence health literacy levels. Weak relationships are observed between predictors and health literacy levels, with significant effects noted for age, gender, and year of study, but not for ethnicity, religion, marital status, family type, or socioeconomic status.Top of Form

Conclusion: Thus, this study underscores the complexity of health literacy and emphasizes the ongoing necessity for targeted interventions and further research to promote health literacy across diverse populations.