Introduction: Dental caries is a preventable chronic disease whereby identification of risk factors will facilitate preventive measures. This study aims to determine the level of oral health literacy (OHL), self-care practices (SCP), salivary parameters and ascertain its assocation with caries status amongst the undergraduates in IMU University. Methods: Levels of OHL (Knowledge-OHL, dental services utilisation, and label reading habit) and SCP were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Chairside saliva kits were used to measure the salivary parameters whilst clinical examination was performed to assess caries status. Independent T-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare differences between sex and courses respectively for measures of interest (OHL, SCP, salivary parameters, and caries status) whereas bivariate correlation with Pearsons’s coefficient was performed to examine their association with caries status. Results: The participants (n=132) had a mean Knowledge-OHL score of 23.75±8.09 with no significant difference between sex (females, 24.01±8.51; males, 23.48±7.69; p=0.15). Dentistry students had significantly higher Knowledge-OHL score than students of all other courses (p=0.01). The mean SCP score was 20.19±3.16 whereas mean DMFT was 2.32 ±3.14. All participants had healthy saliva parameters. Caries status was significantly correlated with Knowledge-OHL score (p=0.02, r=-0.18), dental services utilisation (p=0.04, r=-0.15) but not with label reading habit (p=0.78, r=0.03), SCP (p=0.30, r=-0.05) and all salivary parameters. Conclusion Knowledge-OHL and oral health services utilisation are significantly associated with oral health status
Dental Caries ; Health Literacy ; Oral Health ; Saliva ; Self Care

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Contraceptives are widely acknowledged for preventing unwanted pregnancies. However, there is a prevalent lack of awareness regarding contraceptives, leading to unaddressed misconceptions. This study aimed to identify common contraceptive misconceptions among men and women of reproductive age and explore how primary health workers address them.

A qualitative study was conducted in two phases within District 5, Manila City. Phase 1 comprised focused group discussions with men and women of reproductive age (n=60), while Phase 2 involved conducting in-depth interviews with primary healthcare providers (n=16). MAXQDA, a qualitative software, to organize and code the data, was utilized.

Women of reproductive age reported several misconceptions about contraceptives, including concerns about adverse health effects, emotional and behavioral changes, perceived ineffectiveness, and cosmetic or bodily changes. For instance, they believed that contraceptives could lead to serious health complications, such as cancer, genital injury, and even death. Primary healthcare providers addressed these misconceptions through open dialogue during service delivery, particularly during prenatal and postpartum check-ups and infant immunizations. They utilized patient education strategies, including the teach-back method, and conducted community outreach and workshops on contraceptives and family planning, especially during Women’s Month.

Several misconceptions were identified among women of reproductive age regarding the proper use and safety of contraceptive methods, as well as misguided beliefs. In contrast, men did not exhibit any misconceptions about contraceptives, which warrants further investigation. Primary healthcare providers have taken a proactive approach to address this issue by offering comprehensive explanations and ensuring clear understanding between healthcare providers and women. Promoting contraceptive health literacy could help bridge the knowledge gap between men and women of reproductive age.

BACKGROUND

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a common part of Filipino meals. Increased SSB consumption is linked to weight gain and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Previous studies have shown that health literacy (HL) is associated with positive health outcomes. However, there are limited studies examining its relationship with specific dietary behavior, including SSB consumption.

The study aims to investigate the association between HL and SSB consumption among Filipinos aged 15 to 70 years.

An analytic cross-sectional study using secondary data from the 2018-2019 National Health Literacy Survey (NHLS) was conducted. A total of 1,765 study participants (15 to 70 years old) were included. Socio-demographic information, daily SSB consumption (33 was considered "sufficient." Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to estimate adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals for daily SSB consumption.

Out of the 1,765 study participants, 64.14% reported consuming (≥1 SSB drink per day, of whom majority (57.52%) were adults (31 to 59 years old), females (72.21%), married or in common-law partnership (65.70%), living in the Luzon region (47.23%), urban residents (71.94%), high school graduates (30.52%), have an annual household income of PhP 100,000–249,999 (37.03%), and employed (92.61%). Among those consuming ≥1 SSB drink per day, 51.89% had limited HL. Age, sex, and subnational level (National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) were found to be significantly associated with the consumption of ≥1 SSB drink(s) per day. A weak association was found between HL and SSB consumption (aOR: 0.9591; 95% CI: 0.7832, 1.1747), that is, the adjusted odds of having limited HL were found to be slightly lower among those consuming ≥1 SSB drink(s) per day than those who consume

There was a high prevalence of daily SSB consumption among Filipinos. Among the variables considered, only age, sex, and subnational level were found to be significant determinants of SSB consumption. The findings of the study may provide valuable insights for targeted health promotion and education interventions in reducing SSB consumption among Filipinos such as workplace wellness programs, nutrition education, and the provision of healthier beverage alternatives. Priority should be given to younger individuals, males, and residents of the National Capital Region. This research also fills a gap in the literature regarding the role of HL in SSB consumption within the Philippine context. Findings of this study support adopting the Health Literacy Universal Precautions to ensure accessible health information and services for all, regardless of HL level.

INTRODUCTION: Health literacy plays an essential role in one's ability to acquire and understand critical medical information in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infodemic and in other pandemics. We aimed to summarise the assessment, levels and determinants of pandemic-related health literacy and its associated clinical outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review was performed in Medline ® , Embase ® , PsycINFO ® , CINAHL ® and four major preprint servers. Observational and interventional studies that evaluated health literacy related to the novel COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) were included. Items used in health literacy instruments were grouped under the themes of knowledge, attitudes and practices. Determinants of health literacy were grouped into five domains: sociodemographic, medical, psychological/psychiatric, health systems-related and others. RESULTS: Of the 2,065 articles screened, 70 articles were included. Of these, 21, 17 and 32 studies evaluated health literacy related to COVID-19, SARS and MERS, respectively. The rates of low pandemic health literacy ranged from 4.3% to 57.9% among medical-related populations and from 4.0% to 82.5% among nonmedical populations. Knowledge about the symptoms and transmission of infection, worry about infection, and practices related to mask usage and hand hygiene were most frequently evaluated. Sociodemographic determinants of health literacy were most frequently studied, among which higher education level, older age and female gender were found to be associated with better health literacy. No studies evaluated the outcomes associated with health literacy. CONCLUSION The level of pandemic-related health literacy is suboptimal. Healthcare administrators need to be aware of health literacy determinants when formulating policies in pandemics.
Humans ; Health Literacy ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; Female ; Male

INTRODUCTION: The study objective was to determine the levels of self-care and health literacy (HL) and their associations among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study conducted in a public primary care setting in Singapore. A total of 289 participants aged 21-80 years with hypertension were recruited. Self-care profiles were measured using the Hypertension Self-Care Profile (HTN-SCP; range 0-240, domain range 0-80). Health literacy was measured using the Short-Form Health Literacy Scale (HLS-SF12; range 0-50, limited literacy ≤33). RESULTS: The mean self-care score was 182.7 (standard deviation [SD] 23.2). The median HL score was 34.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 31.9-40.3), and 31.1% of participants had limited HL. Self-care was not associated with age, CKD status, household income and education, but was associated with gender and HL score. In the final regression model, lower HL scores (adjusted β = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7 to 1.36, P < 0.001) and male gender (adjusted β = -5.29, 95% CI -10.56 to -0.03, P = 0.049) were associated with lower self-care scores. The HL scores were associated with self-care domains of self-efficacy (HL: β = 0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.42, P < 0.001), motivation (HL: β = 0.40, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.53, P < 0.001) and behaviour (HL: β = 0.38, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.50, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Thirty-one percent of the participants had limited HL. Self-care was not associated with age, race, CKD status, household income or education. Male gender and limited HL were associated with lower self-care. Self-care was associated with self-efficacy, motivation and behaviour. Future research could focus on more targeted approaches to improve self-care and HL among patients with CKD.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Health Literacy ; Middle Aged ; Self Care ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Aged ; Adult ; Primary Health Care ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/therapy* ; Singapore ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Aged, 80 and over ; Young Adult ; Hypertension/therapy*

OBJECTIVES: Older adults in rural areas with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) generally exhibit poorer medication adherence than the general elderly population. Considering individual heterogeneity helps to design precise subgroup-based interventions. This study aims to identify latent profile types of medication adherence mechanisms among rural older adults with MCC based on the capability-opportunity-motivation-behavior (COM-B) model, and to explore factors influencing medication adherence. METHODS: A multistage sampling method was used to recruit 349 rural older adults with MCC from 10 administrative villages in Jianghua County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, between July and September, 2024. Participants were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Patients, the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire-Specific, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. Latent profile analysis based on the COM-B model was conducted to identify subgroups of medication adherence mechanisms. Univariate and Logistic regression analyses were used to identify influencing factors associated with different latent profiles and adherence levels. RESULTS: Among the participants, 33.5% demonstrated good medication adherence. The 5 most prevalent chronic diseases were hypertension (86.5%), diabetes (36.7%), arthritis or rheumatism (34.4%), stroke (21.8%), and heart disease (17.5%). Overall, rural older adults with MCC exhibited relatively good medication capability, opportunity, and motivation. Their medication adherence mechanisms were classified into 3 latent profiles: "family-support restrained type" (5.2%), "family-support driven type" (52.1%), and "comprehensive advantage type" (42.7%). Significant differences were observed among the three profiles in terms of education level, marital status, living arrangement, and per capita monthly household income (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression revealed that higher education level was a protective factor for belonging to the "comprehensive advantage type" rather than the "family-support driven type" [OR=0.277, 95% CI (PL) 0.126 to 0.614, P=0.002]. Furthermore, significant differences in education level, self-rated health status, and latent profile type were found between participants with good and poor adherence (P<0.05). Binary Logistic regression indicated that with each one-level increase in self-rated health status, the risk of poor adherence increased by 293.9% [OR=3.939, 95% CI (PL) 1.610 to 9.636, P=0.003]. Compared with the "family-support restrained type", individuals classified as the "comprehensive advantage type" had a 96.8% [OR=0.032, 95% CI (PL) 0.008 to 0.123, P<0.001] lower risk of poor medication adherence. CONCLUSIONS The mechanisms underlying medication adherence among rural older adults with MCC show clear heterogeneity. Primary healthcare providers should focus on the "family-support restrained type" subgroup, strengthen social support networks, and implement targeted interventions to improve medication adherence.
Humans ; Aged ; Rural Population ; Male ; Female ; China ; Medication Adherence/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Chronic Disease/drug therapy* ; Multiple Chronic Conditions/drug therapy* ; Social Support ; Motivation ; Middle Aged ; Health Literacy ; Aged, 80 and over

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a common part of Filipino meals. Increased SSB consumption is linked to weight gain and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Previous studies have shown that health literacy (HL) is associated with positive health outcomes. However, there are limited studies examining its relationship with specific dietary behavior, including SSB consumption. Objective: The study aims to investigate the association between HL and SSB consumption among Filipinos aged 15 to 70 years. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study using secondary data from the 2018-2019 National Health Literacy Survey (NHLS) was conducted. A total of 1,765 study participants (15 to 70 years old) were included. Socio-demographic information, daily SSB consumption (<1 SSB drink per day or ≥1 SSB drink per day), and HL level (limited or sufficient) were extracted. An HL index score of ≤33 was classified as "limited," while a score >33 was considered "sufficient." Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to estimate adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals for daily SSB consumption. Results: Out of the 1,765 study participants, 64.14% reported consuming (≥1 SSB drink per day, of whom majority (57.52%) were adults (31 to 59 years old), females (72.21%), married or in common-law partnership (65.70%), living in the Luzon region (47.23%), urban residents (71.94%), high school graduates (30.52%), have an annual household income of PhP 100,000–249,999 (37.03%), and employed (92.61%). Among those consuming ≥1 SSB drink per day, 51.89% had limited HL. Age, sex, and subnational level (National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) were found to be significantly associated with the consumption of ≥1 SSB drink(s) per day. A weak association was found between HL and SSB consumption (aOR: 0.9591; 95% CI: 0.7832, 1.1747), that is, the adjusted odds of having limited HL were found to be slightly lower among those consuming ≥1 SSB drink(s) per day than those who consume <1 SSB drink/day. However, this association was found to be not statistically significant. Conclusion There was a high prevalence of daily SSB consumption among Filipinos. Among the variables considered, only age, sex, and subnational level were found to be significant determinants of SSB consumption. The findings of the study may provide valuable insights for targeted health promotion and education interventions in reducing SSB consumption among Filipinos such as workplace wellness programs, nutrition education, and the provision of healthier beverage alternatives. Priority should be given to younger individuals, males, and residents of the National Capital Region. This research also fills a gap in the literature regarding the role of HL in SSB consumption within the Philippine context. Findings of this study support adopting the Health Literacy Universal Precautions to ensure accessible health information and services for all, regardless of HL level.
Human ; health literacy ; sugar-sweetened beverage ; sweetened drink

Background and Objective: Contraceptives are widely acknowledged for preventing unwanted pregnancies. However, there is a prevalent lack of awareness regarding contraceptives, leading to unaddressed misconceptions. This study aimed to identify common contraceptive misconceptions among men and women of reproductive age and explore how primary health workers address them. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in two phases within District 5, Manila City. Phase 1 comprised focused group discussions with men and women of reproductive age (n=60), while Phase 2 involved conducting in-depth interviews with primary healthcare providers (n=16). MAXQDA, a qualitative software, to organize and code the data, was utilized. Results: Women of reproductive age reported several misconceptions about contraceptives, including concerns about adverse health effects, emotional and behavioral changes, perceived ineffectiveness, and cosmetic or bodily changes. For instance, they believed that contraceptives could lead to serious health complications, such as cancer, genital injury, and even death. Primary healthcare providers addressed these misconceptions through open dialogue during service delivery, particularly during prenatal and postpartum check-ups and infant immunizations. They utilized patient education strategies, including the teach-back method, and conducted community outreach and workshops on contraceptives and family planning, especially during Women’s Month. Conclusion Several misconceptions were identified among women of reproductive age regarding the proper use and safety of contraceptive methods, as well as misguided beliefs. In contrast, men did not exhibit any misconceptions about contraceptives, which warrants further investigation. Primary healthcare providers have taken a proactive approach to address this issue by offering comprehensive explanations and ensuring clear understanding between healthcare providers and women. Promoting contraceptive health literacy could help bridge the knowledge gap between men and women of reproductive age.
contraceptives ; contraceptive agents ; health literacy ; Philippines

Introduction: There is an increasing number of publications on health literacy from Malaysia. We conducted a systematic review of Malaysian studies to determine the prevalence of limited general health literacy and the associated factors among Malaysian adults. Materials and Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search for Malaysian studies on health literacy using PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar. Cross-sectional studies that measured general health literacy using specific rating scales among adults in Malaysia were retrieved for qualitative analysis. Quantitative synthesis of the prevalence of limited health literacy measured using two rating scales (Newest Vital Sign, NVS and various versions of European Health Literacy Survey, HLS) was performed using random effect model. Results: Twenty-five studies measuring general health literacy were retrieved for qualitative analysis; the majority were various versions of HLS and NVS. Pooled prevalence rates of limited health literacy were: HLS: 48.59%; NVS: 91.41%. Subgroup analysis of participant type revealed prevalence of limited health literacy measured using NVS was lower in clinical samples vs non-clinical samples (85.67% vs 94.70%). Moderator analysis revealed a small effect of ethnicity on prevalence of health literacy measured using HLS. Assessment of included studies showed very few of them had statistically significant associations between socio-demographic factors and limited health literacy. Conclusion Prevalence of limited health literacy in Malaysian adults was very high: almost one in two adults in HLS studies and nine out of ten adults in NVS studies. Socio-demographic factors associated with limited health literacy were inconsistent with other studies.
Adult ; Health Literacy ; Malaysia ; Prevalence ; Systematic Review [Publication Type]

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence on the association between lower education and unhealthy behaviors. However, the mechanism underlying this association remains unclear. This study aimed to examine whether income, health literacy, and social support mediate the association between education and health-related behaviors. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in metropolitan areas in Japan from 2010 to 2011 among residents aged 25-50 years. Data from 3663 participants were used in this study. Health literacy was measured using the Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale. Health-related behaviors were current smoking, poor dietary habits, hazardous drinking, and lack of exercise. Poisson regression analyses with robust variance estimators were conducted to examine the associations between education and these health-related behaviors. Multiple mediation analyses were conducted to estimate the magnitudes of the mediating effects of income, health literacy, and social support on these associations. RESULTS: Less educated participants had higher risks of all unhealthy behaviors. Income mediated the associations of education with smoking (6.4%) and exercise (20.0%). Health literacy mediated the associations of education with dietary habits (15.4%) and exercise (16.1%). Social support mediated the associations of education with dietary habits (6.4%) and exercise (7.6%). The education-drinking association was mediated by income in the opposite direction (-10.0%). The proportions of the total effects mediated by income, health literacy, and social support were 9.8% for smoking, 24.0% for dietary habits, -3.0% for drinking, and 43.7% for exercise. CONCLUSIONS These findings may provide clues for designing effective interventions to reduce educational inequalities in health-related behaviors.
Humans ; Japan ; Health Behavior ; Educational Status ; Exercise ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Health Literacy ; Cognition