Abstract

CARNEIRO, Vânia; SILVA, Isabel  and  JOLLUSKIN, Glória. Diagnosis of disease and health literacy: what associations?. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2018, vol.19, n.1, pp.116-121. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/18psd190117.

The literature reveals that individuals suffering from some disease have lower values ​​of health literacy, compared to those without a medical diagnosis. It would be expected that, when accompanied in the long term by the health care system, they would benefit from a possible health promoting effect resulting from this involvement. This cross-sectional study aims to compare people with and without medical diagnosis of disease regarding health literacy. Two groups were studied: Group 1 - "without disease", composed of 258 participants, aged between 18 and 71 years (M = 33.36, SD = 13.08). 64.7%). Group 2 - "with illness", composed of 57 participants, aged between 18 and 78 years (M = 42.70, SD = 17.55), most of them with Higher Education (61.5%). A sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and the Health Literacy Scale (ELS) were administered. There are no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of health literacy, which is fragile, particularly in the critical domain. In group 2, when age and schooling were controlled, there was no statistically significant correlation between the duration of illness and the level of literacy in total health. The results seem to reinforce the idea that there is no protective effect of health literacy on contact with health services.

Keywords : literacy; health; disease diagnosis.

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