Department of Medicine of Community, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 May 19;18(10):5421. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18105421.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic introduced a set of mitigation measures based on personal behavior and attitudes. In the absence of vaccination or specific treatment, it became essential to comply with these measures to reduce infection transmission. Health literacy is the basis for changing behaviors.
To characterize the impact of literacy on knowledge and attitudes towards preventive strategies against COVID-19.
This cross-sectional study involved an online questionnaire applied to students of the University of Porto, Portugal, containing questions about knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19 based on European guidelines. Health literacy was assessed through the Newest Vital Sign questionnaire. Logistic regression estimated the relationship between health literacy and both knowledge and attitudes.
We included 871 participants (76.3% female), with a median age of 22 years old. We found adequate literacy in 92% of our sample, irrespective of gender and age. In the global analysis, 78.6% of the participants had adequate knowledge, and 90.4% had adequate attitudes. We found that better literacy was significantly associated with attitudes towards COVID-19, but not with better knowledge. In a model adjusted for gender, age, and previous education in the health field, female gender and previous education in the health field were associated with better knowledge and attitudes.
Better health literacy is associated with better attitudes towards preventive strategies against COVID-19. We should invest in ways to improve health literacy, so we can improve people's attitudes and consequently reduce coronavirus' transmission.
描述文化程度对 COVID-19 预防策略相关知识和态度的影响。
这是一项横断面研究，通过在线问卷对葡萄牙波尔图大学的学生进行了调查，问卷内容基于欧洲指南，涉及 COVID-19 相关知识和态度。采用最新生命体征量表评估健康素养。使用逻辑回归估计健康素养与知识和态度之间的关系。
共纳入 871 名参与者（76.3%为女性），平均年龄 22 岁。无论性别和年龄如何，我们发现 92%的参与者具有足够的文化程度。在总体分析中，78.6%的参与者具有足够的知识，90.4%的参与者具有足够的态度。我们发现，更好的文化程度与 COVID-19 的态度显著相关，但与更好的知识无关。在调整了性别、年龄和之前在健康领域的教育的模型中，女性和之前在健康领域的教育与更好的知识和态度相关。
更好的健康素养与预防 COVID-19 策略的态度更好相关。我们应该投资于提高健康素养的方法，以改善人们的态度，从而降低冠状病毒的传播。
