The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Illness Self-Care Management in Turkish Patients With Cancer.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between health literacy and illness self-care management in individuals with cancer.

SAMPLE & SETTING: 207 individuals with cancer undergoing treatment in the chemotherapy unit of a university hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.

METHODS & VARIABLES: Data were collected using a sociodemographic and illness characteristics questionnaire, the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-Turkish Version (HLS-EU-Q-TR), and the Self-Care Management Process in Chronic Illness. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, student t test, Pearson correlation test, and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

86% of individuals displayed an inadequate or problematic to limited level of health literacy. Extended family status and HLS-EU-Q-TR score were significant predictors of self-care management.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses can organize health programs designed to improve the level of health literacy in the population, but they should take into consideration the health literacy levels of their patients.