Health Literacy among University Students: A Comparative Study between Health-Related and Non-Health-Related Academic Fields

Background and Objectives: Health literacy is increasingly recognized as a crucial competency for university students, especially in developing countries like Indonesia, where disparities in health education across academic disciplines may impact health outcomes. Students in non-health-related fields may have limited exposure to health information, potentially leading to gaps in preventive behavior and healthcare decision-making. This study aimed to compare the levels of health literacy between students from health-related and non-health-related academic fields and to assess the association between academic discipline and health literacy status among undergraduate students in Semarang, Indonesia.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September to December ۲۰۲۴ among ۵۰۵ undergraduate students at Diponegoro University. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Health literacy was measured using the validated Indonesian version of the HLS-EU-Q۱۶, which demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = ۰.۸۵۴). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests (including Monte Carlo simulation and Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact tests when appropriate), and odds ratio analysis. To address the imbalance in group sizes between academic fields, a matched sample analysis (n = ۲۷۴) was conducted by randomly selecting ۱۳۷ non-health-related respondents to match the number of health-related students.Results: In the full sample, ۷۲.۹% of respondents had sufficient, ۲۳.۰% had problematic, and ۴.۲% had inadequate health literacy. A significant association was found between academic field and health literacy level (p < ۰.۰۰۱). Students in health-related faculties were significantly less likely to have low health literacy (OR = ۰.۳۵۱; ۹۵% CI: ۰.۱۸۵–۰.۶۶۸; p < ۰.۰۰۱). This finding was consistent in the matched sample analysis (OR = ۰.۳۰۵; ۹۵% CI: ۰.۱۶۶–۰.۵۶۱; p < ۰.۰۰۱), confirming the robustness of the association regardless of sample imbalance.Conclusion: Students in health-related programs had significantly higher health literacy levels, likely due to greater exposure to health content in their curriculum. These findings highlight the need to integrate health literacy education into non-health programs to reduce disparities. Interdisciplinary efforts and digital literacy strategies may help equip all students with the skills needed to manage their health effectively.

کلیدواژه ها:

Academic Disciplines ، Health-related Program ، HLS-EU-Q۱۶