Health Literacy and its related factors among Thai population in Eastern (Health Region 6) Thailand

Abstract

Health literacy, one of the essential factors that affect health status, is prioritized on the 12th Thai Health National Plan (2017–2021). The survey study is aimed to explore the status of health literacy and its related factors among Thai population in Eastern (Health region 6) Thailand. Five hundred ninety-five participants of this study were Thai people older than 15, selected by systematic random sampling method. Face-to-face interviews collected the data from March to April 2019. The data of this study were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test, as well as the Multiple logistic regression, were used to find the related factors of health literacy. The results of this study were following: 1) The average health literacy score among Thai population older than 15 in Eastern (Health Region 6) Thailand was 89.46 from a total score of 136 or 66 percent. And 15.26 percent of participants has insufficient health literacy levels. 2) The result explained that the population older than 60 had insufficient health literacy levels more than the population age 15-24 3.71 times (OR=3.71 95%CI=1.25-11.01). Similarly, participants who could not write and were unskilled in writing had insufficient levels of health literacy higher than participants who were skilled in writing 3.47 and 2.13 times (OR=3.47, 2.13, 95%CI=1.30-9.24, 1.32-3.45). The result of participants who did not have a role in communities had higher insufficient health literacy levels than those who had a role in communities 3.98 times (OR=3.98 95%CI=1.94-8.17). Accessibility to health information from the internet played an important role when participants who could not reach health data from the internet had higher insufficient levels of health literacy than those who could reach 4.21 times (OR=4.21 95%CI=2.13-8.33). Besides, participants who did not receive health information from healthcare workers had higher insufficient health literacy levels than those who did receive 1.81 times (OR=1.81 95%CI=1.11-2.95). The recommendation of this research is to encourage healthcare workers and staff in the related fields to provide health literacy to vulnerable groups of the population. Especially in the elderly, people who cannot write (low literacy level), and people who did not have a role in communities. Furthermore, healthcare workers at healthcare facilities should speak plain language, which will help patients understand easier.