Assessment of Health Literacy in Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in Southwest of Iran ۲۰۲۲-۲۰۲۳

Background this study was conducted to assess the health literacy related to breast and cervical cancer screening. Methods It was a cross-sectional study that was approved by the ethic committee of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences. Through computer based simple random sampling, ۲۹۴ women aged ۲۰-۶۹ years old, enrolled study from four urban health centers of Yasuj city since ۲۰۲۲-۲۰۲۳. Written informed consent was taken from all participants. Inclusion criteria were: women aged ۲۰-۶۹ years old, ability to read and write, consent to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria were: incomplete completion the check list and questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version ۲۵ software by Mann-whitney, Kruskal wallis and ordinal logistic regression tests. Results  Mean age of participants was ۳۳±۷.۸۸ years. Mean score of health literacy related to breast and cervical cancer screening was ۴۲.۵۵±۵.۴۳. Level of health literacy were favorable,   intermediate and unfavorable in ۱۴۵ (۴۹.۳%), ۱۱۶(۳۹.۵%) and ۳۳(۱۱.۲%), respectively. Health literacy was significantly higher in participants with higher education (p= ۰.۰۰۰۱), employed (p=۰.۰۰۰۱) and married (p=۰.۰۲۳). Based on ordinal logistic regression, only the level of education was the predicting factor of health literacy (p=۰.۰۰۰۱). Conclusion Given that, half of participants didn’t have adequate health literacy and education level was the strongest predictor of health literacy, health policy makers and health care providers should consider interventions based on demographic characteristics such as revising/simplifying teaching materials, including oral, pictorial and written materials in the form of posters, pamphlets to increase health literacy skill in the community.

کلیدواژه ها:

health literacy ، breast cancer ، cervical cancer ، screening