Health Literacy Survey on Medical Students

Abstract

Background: The term health literacy was first used in 1970 and has become important in public health
and health services. Health literacy is defined as a level where people can access, understand, assess and
communicate information to engage with the demands of different health contexts in order to promote
and maintain good health in life. Poor health literacy has a relationship with a low understanding of
written information and poor communication with health workers. Health literacy is important in effective
communication between patients and health workers. However, there is very little research on health literacy
in health workers.
Objective: This study aims to determine the level of health literacy in the education participants of the
Sriwijaya University medical faculty general practitioner.
Method: Qualitative descriptive studies have been conducted. The population and sample in this study were
all students of the Sriwijaya University medical faculty who were taken by convenient sampling. Frequency
of distribution and relationship analysis was calculated using SPSS version 22.
Results: From this study 503 questionnaire data were obtained, Most questions of the health literacy
questionnaire have a relationship with age and years and no relationship with work of the father, mother’s
work, and income.
Conclusion: Health literacy of general medical students of Sriwijaya University medical faculty has more
relationship with age and years than the work of father, mother’s work, and income.