Satish Chandrasekhar Nair|Jayadevan Sreedharan|Karthyayani Priya Satish|Halah Ibrahim
Health literacy in a high income Arab country: A nation-wide cross-sectional survey study
United Arab Emirates University|Tawam Hospital|Gulf Medical University|Kasturba Medical College, Manipal|Khalifa University of Science and Technology
health literacy powerful predictor health outcomes remains global challenge paucity published data limited understanding health literacy patients middle east purpose study assess patient health literacy levels united arab emirates uae identify associated demographic characteristicsa crosssectional survey adult patients attending public private hospitals primary care clinics conducted across uae january 2019 may 2020 chisquare test used analyze association health literacy demographic variables ordinal regression adopted analyze data statistically significant independent variables2349 2971 patients responded 79 response rate slightly less onequarter 239 patients surveyed demonstrated adequate health literacy third women respondents 317 possessed adequate health literacy compared 13 men surveyed p0001 participant age significantly p0001 associated health literacy levels approximately 50 participants age 50 years 5175 years demonstrating inadequate health literacy education also positively correlated health literacy adequate health literacy levels twofold higher 305 p0001 patients high school education compared patients without secondary educationthe high proportion patients inadequate health literacy study confirms health literacy deficit challenge uae targeted interventions needed improve health literacy particularly older individuals optimize healthcare utilization improve individual population health outcomes