Health literacy and quality of life among people in semi-urban and urban areas

OBJECTIVE: to investigate health literacy level, quality of life and related factors in semi-urban and urban areas. METHOD: this cross-sectional study was carried out between December 2018 and February 2019 with 595 participants. The variables found significant in the bivariate regression analysis were included in the multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: according to the scores obtained from the Health Literacy Scale, participants’ health literacy 76.5% levels were adequate. The factors affecting the Health Literacy Scale score in semi-urban areas were educational status, income status, presence of a chronic disease, perceived health, and understanding the health information provided. The factors affecting the Health Literacy Scale score in urban areas were age, marital status, reading habits, presence of a chronic disease, and understanding the health information provided (p < .05). There was a statistically significant difference between participants living in semi-urban and urban areas in terms of their health literacy and quality of life levels (p < .001). CONCLUSION: the health literacy level was inadequate in three out of ten participants, and it was even lower in semi-urban areas.