Health Literacy Measurements with The Newest Vital Sign Instrument Among Adolescents from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Year 2017, Volume: 11 Issue: 3, 164 - 170, 20.09.2017

Niyi Awofeso Ahmad Al Zarooni Zahour Al Haj Rabih Moyosola Bamidele

https://doi.org/10.21763/tjfmpc.336147

Cited By: 6

Abstract

Introduction: Assuring
high quality health literacy for adolescents is important in the United Arab
Emirates to facilitate government’s Vision 2021 objectives of superior health
and intellectual attainment of young people, as well as to reduce very high
prevalence of adolescent obesity and other behavioural and dietary risk factors
for health. Methods: In mid-2016, the authors applied the validated
Newest Vital Sign Health Literacy instrument to 440 Emirati nationals and
Non-Emirati (expatriate) high school students in grades 7 to 12 with mean age
of 14 years in Dubai, UAE.  Results:  This study indicates that the mean literacy
score was 2.7/6 and that 27.95% were highly likely to suffer from limited
health literacy, 38.64% of respondents were possibly literate, and while 33.41%
were highly literate. Emirati females demonstrated higher health literacy
compared with males (3.26, 95%, CI: 2.94 – 3.57 Vs 2.67, CI: 3.30 – 3.04).
Non-Emirati male (2.73, 95% CI:  2.43 –
3.02) demonstrated higher health literacy compared with Emirati male. In
contrast, Emirati female demonstrated higher health literacy compared with
Non-Emirati female (2.36, 95% CI: 2.07 – 2.65). 
There was no significant difference in health literacy scores related to
school grade.  Conclusion: These
findings indicate a low percentage of highly health literate UAE adolescents,
highlighting the need to improve health literacy training among UAE
adolescents, and especially among Emirati males.  

Keywords

Health literacy, adolescents, gender, newest vital sign, United Arab Emirates

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