معصومه جهانی افتخاری

Considering that the health literacy is one of the pillars of the health evolution system, measuring the health literacy is essential to improving the health of individuals in the community. The aim of this study was to investigate the health literacy level of adults in Neyshabur city, Iran.

This cross-sectional research is a descriptive-analytical study. This research was carried out on 400 people aged 18-65, who referred to the health centers in Neyshabour city in 2015-2016. The subjects were selected using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected by demographic characteristics questionnaire and the questionnaire of health literacy assessment of urban population aged 18-65 [HELIA]. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software through descriptive statistics and Chi-square test.

The mean score of health literacy in the subjects was 49.99±23.16. The health literacy level in 33%, 33.5%, 27% and 6.5% of the subjects were inadequate, not adequate, adequate and high, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the health literacy level with age, gender, education, job status (P<0.05).

The health literacy level was inadequate in the adults of Neyshabur city and the health literacy level in most of the subjects was inadequate and not adequate.

Health literacy is a measure of individual’s ability to read, comprehend, and act on medical instructions. Health literacy and lifestyle are determinants of health. We aimed to assess the relationship between health literacy and health promoting behaviors.

This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted on 250 health volunteers who were selected randomly. Data were collected using questionnaires of Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) and Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and to study the variables’ relationships Chi-square and Spearman correlation coefficient were applied.

Findings: The mean age of the participants was 32.9±9.7 years, and 61.5% had elementary and junior high school education. Health literacy was insufficient in 44.6% of the health volunteers, at a border level in 32.2%, and adequate in 23.1%. The mean score of health-promoting lifestyle was 130±23.8. In this study, there was a significant relationship between educational level, age and health literacy status. Inadequate health literacy was more common among individuals with advanced age and lower education. Health literacy level was significantly correlated with nutrition, spirituality, health responsibility, physical activity, interpersonal support, and stress management (P<0.001).

This study showed that the health literacy level was inadequate in health volunteers. This result showed that health literacy and striving to improve it are important. Creating a simple, understandable and accessible media and training materials, as well as implementing theory-based educational interventions are some the ways to improve health literacy

Pediculosis capitis (Head lice) is a worldwide parasitic infection that often occurs in nurseries and school with poor hygiene. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of educational program based on protection motivation theory (PMT) on the promotion of preventive behaviors against pediculosis in female elementary school students. The present randomized controlled trial was conducted in Neyshabur in 2015. Sixty female students in the fifth grade were randomly selected, using randomized cluster sampling. They were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. A standard questionnaire was designed and administered based on socio-demographic characteristics and PMT constructs. An educational intervention was, then, designed based on focus group discussions and role-playing method during the educational program consisting of two sessions (each taking 50 minutes), held for the experimental group. Independent and paired t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, chi-square, mann-whitney, and Wilcoxon tests were conducted by SPSS 16 software to analyze the data. There was no statistically significant differences between the two groups before the intervention (p>0.05). After the intervention, the mean scores of the perceived vulnerability, perceived intervention, response efficiency, self-efficacy, cost response, and protection motivation after intervention were significantly improved in the experimental group (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the mean scores of the PMT constructs in the control group (p>0.05). PMT-based intervention program is effective in promoting preventive behaviors against pediculosis on female elementary school students.

The importance of health promoting behaviors are due to their potential role in preventing chronic diseases, reducing morbidity, improving quality of life and reducing health care burdens in the community. Health literacy and lifestyle are social determinants of health. This study was designed to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the Self Efficacy and health literacy Theory on the health promoting behavior of female health volunteers in Neyshabur, Iran.
This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 female health volunteers in Neyshabur. Participants were randomly divided into the two control and experimental groups. Data gathering tools were the Healthy Lifestyle questionnaire (HPLPII), Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale and Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA). Educational intervention was conducted based on the self-efficacy theory and health literacy. The subjects in the intervention group received 4 sessions of 1 hour education on a weekly basis. Data analysis was done through SPSS16 and using Chi- square, Repeated Measures and Friedman Test.
Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in mean score of lifestyle (P=0.89) and self-efficacy (P=0.146) between the two groups. But, after the intervention, the two groups showed significant difference in all variables (P. 0.001).
Educational intervention based on the self- efficacy and health literacy theory can promote healthy lifestyle among health volunteers.