Cross-sectional Investigation On Health Literacy Of Adolescent Aged 14-16 In Shanghai

ObjectiveHealth literacy is commonly defined as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions,and promote health". This survey is designed to assess health literacy level of adolescent aged 14-16 in Shanghai, to analysis related factors that influence health literacy level of adolescent, and to offer reference for further research about health literacy and adolescent health education and health promotion.MethodInvestigation by focus group interviews include 160 first-year students from a key high school, two high schools, a general vocational high school, a health school (vocational school),and 20 focus group interviews was performed, in Shanghai. Interviews with health school group was all the girls; boys and girls in other schools,was the half of the interview group; another 226 students were selected answering open-ended questionnaire. Transform interview recording and pened-ended answers to questions into text data, and use MAXQD2 analyze it.Adolescent health literacy questionnaire was deveolped referencing findings of qualitative investigation and relevant references, evaluated and adjusted according to findings of pre-survey.Seven different types of high school was selected by stratified cluster sampling method and 1485 first year students took part in survey; Epidata3.1 was used for questionnaire data-entry and SAS9.13 for data analysis.The percentage method and comprehensive score method was choosed to assesst adolescent health literacy levels; percentage, mean, standard deviation to describe the health literacy level; chi-square test, rank sum test, analysis of variance, regression analysis to explore health literacy related factors.Result1. In Shanghai, adolescent aged 14 to 16 with health literacy accounted for 8.69% overall. Three aspects of health literacy which are the basic knowledge and concepts, healthy lifestyle and behavior, accounted for 28.69%,11.38% and 12.19% respectively. Results of interviews is that the cognizance of the adolescents on health and fitness was not comprehensive, the major of students payed morre attention to the physical health and mental health, less social health. Some students had error thinking at interviews. Results of interviews and suvey support each other.2. According to the outstanding problems which adolescent confront, Health literacy is divided into seven areas of health literacy. Adolescet with scientific health views accounted for 88.01%, infectious disease prevention 7.41%, chronic disease prevention 9.97%, mental health view 64.85%, growth and puberty health care 23.50%, the safety and first aid 25.45%, basic medical care 20.94%. Sleep insufficiency, diet structure unreason, lack of exercises, vision problems and mental health were focused on by adolecent in interview investigation.3. Comprehensive score that evaluate health literacy is range of 0 to 100. In Shanghai overall average score and standard deviation of adolescent health literacy was 73.4±5.94, knowledge and concepts 74.9±7.63, healthy lifestyle and behavior 70.9±7.17, basic skills 56.4±15.92; school type, gender, learning performence associated with health literacy levels, Students from key high school had more comprehensive score of health literacy than others, female than male, students with good grades than others.ConclusionIn Shanghai overall level of adolescent health literacy aged 14 to 16 were at low level, knowledge and concepts were higher than others, healthy lifestyle and behavior and basic skills were at lower levels. School type, gender, learning performence associated with health literacy level. Schools, parents and the community should focus on deveolpment of adolecent health literacy on behavior and skills.