Health Literacy of Patients with Regard to The Source of Information: A Cross- Sectional Study

1 Irena Kovačević

2 Valentina Krikšić

3 Petra Kovačević

1 Anđela Bacelj*

1 Lucija Dodig*

1 Vesna Batinović*

1 Lucija Bogović*

1 University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia

* Undergraduate nursing student at University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia

2 Institution for Home Health Care „Domnius“, Zagreb, Croatia

3 University Hospital Centre Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Article received: 18.05.2022.

Article accepted: 05.07.2022.

Author for correspondence:

Irena Kovačević

University of Applied Health Sciences Mlinarska 38, Zagreb, Croatia

E-mail: irena.kovacevic@zvu.hr

https://doi.org/10.24141/2/6/2/1

Keywords: patient, health information, health literacy, source of information

Abstract

Introduction. It is the right of the patient to be in- formed by the medical staff about the treatment pro- cedures so that the patient can be aware and respon- sible of the subject of treatment.

Aim. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the information provided to the patient by medical staff, understanding of the information obtained and the use of written educational materials and the In- ternet to gain information about diseases among pa- tients of primary and secondary health care. The aim was to determine whether there are differences in the level of knowledge among patients with regard to the source of information.

Methods. A cross-sectional study with three groups of patients was conducted using a questionnaire cre- ated for this study.

Results. Out of a total of 300 patients, 49% (147) claim that the most common source of information is a specialist doctor, while 29% (87) claim that their sources of information are nurses. A total of 48%

(144) of patients claim that the information is incom- prehensible and 83% (249) have not received educa- tional materials. 79% (237) want to receive educa- tional materials.

Conclusion. According to the results of the study, it can be concluded that patients, regardless of the group they belonged to, are equally uninformed. In- forming the patient is an integral part of the treat- ment and must be tailored to each patient individually.