Health Literacy Levels of Individuals not Vaccinated for COVID-19

Year 2023, Volume: 1 Issue: 3, 78 - 84, 31.10.2023

Mehmet Doğan , Turkan Sahin

Abstract

Aim: Inadequate health literacy is a risk factor for preventive health services such as vaccination. This study was conducted to determine the health literacy levels of individuals who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine and determine the relationship between vaccine refusal and health literacy.
Material and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 individuals between November 2021 and March 2022. The questionnaire form consisting of the participants’ socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 vaccination status, and the Turkey Health Literacy Scale-32 was applied in face-toface interviews.
Results: Of the participants, 31.1% had inadequate, 26.8% limited/problematic, 24.9% adequate, and 17.2% excellent health literacy levels. The health literacy of evaluating health-relevant information to health was the lowest adequate health literacy with 39.1%. The health literacy of applying health-relevant information was the highest adequate health literacy with 51.9%. Adequate disease prevention/
health promotion health literacy level was higher in those who always followed the coronavirus process and paid attention to social distance and hand washing and was higher than inadequate disease prevention/health promotion level (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The level of adequate health literacy of the participants was low. Those with adequate levels of health treatment and service health literacy sub-dimension were higher than those with adequate health literacy sub-dimension of disease prevention and health promotion. Improving health literacy in individuals who have problems using preventive health services such as vaccination is essential for their
own and public health.

Keywords

COVID-19, Vaccine, Health Literacy

COVID-19 Aşısı Yaptırmayan Bireylerin Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Düzeyi

Abstract

Amaç: Yetersiz sağlık okuryazarlığı, aşılama gibi koruyucu sağlık hizmetleri için bir risk faktörüdür. Bu çalışma, COVID-19 aşısı yaptırmayan bireylerin sağlık okuryazarlığı düzeylerini belirlemek ve aşı reddi ile sağlık okuryazarlığı arasındaki ilişkiyi saptamak amacıyla yapılmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel nitelikteki bu çalışma Kasım 2021 ile Mart 2022 tarihleri arasında 366 kişi üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler katılımcıların sosyodemografik özellikleri ve COVID-19 aşılamalarına dair sorulardan oluşan anket formu ve Türkiye Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği- 32 kullanılarak yüz yüze görüşme tekniği ile toplanmıştır.
Bulgular: Katılımcıların %31,1’i yetersiz, %26,8’i sınırlı/sorunlu, %24,9’u yeterli ve %17,2’si mükemmel sağlık okuryazarlığı düzeyindedir. Sağlıkla ilgili bilgiyi değerlendirme sağlık okuryazarlığı %39,1 ile en düşük yeterli sağlık okuryazarlığı ve sağlıkla ilgili bilgiyi kullanma sağlık okuryazarlığı %51,9 ile de en yüksek yeterli sağlık okuryazarlığıdır. Coronavirüs sürecini her zaman takip edenlerde, her zaman sosyal mesafeye uyanlarda ve ellerini yıkayanlarda hastalıktan korunma yeterli sağlık okuryazarlık düzeyinde olanlar, hastalıktan korunma yetersiz sağlık okuryazarlık düzeyinde olanlara göre daha yüksektir (p<0.05).
Sonuç: Katılımcıların, yeterli sağlık okuryazarlık düzeyi düşüktür. Tedavi ve hizmet sağlık okuryazarlık alt boyutu yeterli düzeyde olanlar, hastalıklardan korunma ve sağlığın geliştirilmesi sağlık okuryazarlık alt boyutu yeterli düzeyde olanlardan daha yüksektir. Aşılama gibi koruyucu sağlık hizmetleri kullanımında sorun yaşayan bireylerinde sağlık okuryazarlığının geliştirilmesi hem kendilerinin hem de toplum
sağlığı açısından önemlidir.

Keywords

COVID-19, Aşı, Sağlık Okuryazarlığı

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