Journal article
Health Literacy of Parents and Carers in a Regional Community: A Cross-Sectional Study
International Quarterly of Community Health Education, Vol.43(3), pp.275-282
04/2023
PMID: 34096382
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Abstract
Background
Supporting a child’s healthy development is determined, in part, by a parent’s ability to seek, access, interpret and effectively utilize health information. This aspect of parenting draws on a set of skills referred to as health literacy.
Objective
To assess the level of health literacy among parents/carers in a regional South Australian community.
Methods
Parents/carers of primary school-aged children, residing in Whyalla, South Australia, were invited to complete the 13-item All Aspects of Health Literacy Survey.
Results
155 parents/carers completed the survey (79% mothers). Most participants were English-speaking (97%), employed (62%) and had 2–3 children (62%), with 52% completing tertiary education. Median total health literacy scores were mostly in the moderate-high range (median 27, IQR 26,27), as were critical health literacy scores (median 7, IQR 6,8). Higher scores were reported for functional health literacy (median 8, IQR 7,9), communicative health literacy (median 9, IQR 8,9) and empowerment health literacy (median 4, IQR 3,5).
Conclusions
Our findings reveal modest levels of health literacy among a sample of parents/carers of primary school-aged children in a regional South Australian community. Further work is needed to understand the differential effect of parental health literacy on child health outcomes, and the types of strategies that may mitigate the impact of these barriers on a child’s healthy development.
Details
- Title
- Health Literacy of Parents and Carers in a Regional Community: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Creators
- Matthew J Leach - Southern Cross UniversitySue Nichols - University of South AustraliaSven Trenholm - University of South AustraliaMartin Jones - University of South Australia
- Publication Details
- International Quarterly of Community Health Education, Vol.43(3), pp.275-282
- Publisher
- Sage Publications, Inc.
- Grant note
- This study was supported by funding from the Research Themes Incentive Scheme, University of South Australia.
- Identifiers
- 991012948597102368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2021.
- Academic Unit
- School of Health and Human Sciences; National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article