Parents Health Literacy: A Key Component for Children Rehabilitation with Special Needs

Background and Objective: The relationship between parent health literacy and adherence to rehabilitation in children with special needs has not been fully explored. The aim of this study was to determine the association of parent health literacy and other predicted factors with follow-up of occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST) in children with special needs between ۳ and ۶ years old, Hamadan city, ۲۰۲۰.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, ۹۲ parents (۶۴ mothers and ۲۸ fathers), who have children refering to occupational therapy and speech therapy centers, were randomly selected. Data gathering was conducted by demographic and parent health literacy questionnaires, and SPSS software version ۱۶ all data was used to analyze data by independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient at a significance level of ۰.۰۵. Results: The mean of father and mother’s health literacy were ۵۵.۱۸±۷.۵۹ and ۶۱.۷۲ ± ۱۳.۵۶, respectively. A significant difference was observed in parents' health literacy, parent's gender (p = ۰.۰۱۹), parent’s education level (p = ۰.۰۵), and father’s occupation. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analyses showed a significant negative correlation between parental health literacy and father age (r = -.۳۴۵, p < .۰۱), maternal age (r =-.۴۱۸, p < .۰۱), and parental health literacy positively correlated with the number of OT (r = .۲۳۸, p < .۰۵) and ST Sessions (r = .۴۶۸, p < .۰۱). Conclusion: parent's health literacy was inadequate, and level of health literacy was higher in younger and more educated mothers and significantly associated with further follow-up of rehabilitation (occupational therapy and speech therapy). It is necessary to plan educational strategies to increase the level of health literacy in parents who have children with special needs, because of these children are vulnerable population.

کلیدواژه ها:

Parents Health Literacy ، Rehabilitation ، children with special needs