Abstract:
Objective
To understand the level of health literacy on disease prevention & control and its influencing factors among middle school students in Shanghai Hongkou District, and provide a scientific basis for relevant intervention in adolescents.
Methods
Using stratified cluster sampling method, 852 students were selected from one class from Grade 6-11 (except Grade 9) from 11 middle schools in Hongkou District, Shanghai and investigated using online health literacy questionnaires on disease prevention & control from April to June 2016.
Results
The scores of four dimensions of disease prevention & control related health literacy including obtaining, understanding, analysis and evaluation, and application were (11.26±2.81), (26.87±6.58), (10.63±3.86), and (19.06±5.24), respectively, and the overall health literacy score was (67.82±16.30). Of the investigated middle school students, 29.5% had health literacy. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that, in terms of health literacy level, the OR (95%CI) of girls versus boys was 1.89 (1.36-2.59); the OR (95%CI) of non-Shanghai household registration group versus Shanghai household registration group was 0.32 (0.19-0.55); the OR (95%CI) of the students with maternal educational level at university and above versus those with maternal educational level at middle school and below was 2.02 (1.26-3.23); the OR (95%CI) of the students who attached great importance to health education versus those who did not was 2.96 (1.67-5.28); the OR (95%CI) of the students who self-rated academic performance as higher-middle versus those who self-rated as lower-middle was 1.99 (1.20-3.29).
Conclusion
The disease prevention & control related health literacy of selected middle school students in Hongkou District, Shanghai is generally at a low level and is influenced by individual, family, and school factors.