TY  - JOUR
TI  - Health Literacy Levels of Individuals Between
18-65 Years Old and Its Effect on Rational Drug
Use
AB  - Aim: This study aims to determine a relationship between factors, such as the health literacy levels of
individuals and their drug (medicine) utilization habits, and sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used a questionnaire to ascertain the sociodemographic
attributes of individuals and their drug utilization habits and the Turkish Health Literacy Scale to measure
their health literacy levels. The Student T-Test was used to compare means in independent groups. The
relationship between categorical variables was evaluated using the Chi-Square Test.
Results: It was determined that the 402 participants had a mean age of 41.15±11.58 years, 52.2% of
them were women, and 53.2% were university graduates. The mean overall index score of the Turkish
Health Literacy Scale was 30.39±7.82. For 45.5% of the participants, the health literacy rate was
problematic-limited. Comparing participants over 40.5 years old to those of age 40.5 years and younger
and participants with a level of education up to high school graduate to those who were at least a
university graduate, we found the first ones to have lower average scores. Individuals with irrational drug
utilization habits had significantly lower overall index score means.
Conclusion: Effective policies and regulations addressing the plunging health literacy levels need to be
planned and implemented throughout the community. Increasing the level of health literacy will have a
positive effect on the drug use habits of individuals.
AU  - Ongel, Kurtulus
AU  - pamuk, gulseren
AU  - ISLER, Olcay
AU  - Aksoy, Hilal
DO  - 10.33880/ejfm.2022110207
PY  - 2022
JO  - Eurasian Journal of Family Medicine
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
SN  - 2147-3161
SP  - 127
EP  - 135
DB  - TRDizin
UR  - http://search/yayin/detay/532320
ER  -