Health literacy in a population of primary health-care patients in Belgrade, Serbia.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to evaluate the health literacy and its association with sociodemographic variables, the self-perception of health and the presence of chronic conditions in primary health-care patients.


METHODS
A cluster survey was conducted. A total of 1,500 patients were enrolled. Functional health literacy was measured by the Serbian version of the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Chi-square testing and multilevel logistic regression analyses were applied.


RESULTS
We found that health literacy was inadequate and marginal in 436 (32%) and 195 participants (14.4%), respectively, and adequate in 730 participants (53.6%). A better health literacy score was present among the following participants: younger, employed, and those with a high level of education, a good self-perception of health, a good socioeconomic status and no chronic conditions. If, on multilevel analysis, the primary health center and individual variables were included, the probability for adequate health literacy was higher among younger, employed, higher educated and those with no chronic conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary health-care patients do not have the literacy skills necessary to function adequately in the health-care environment.
Jovic-Vranes
Aleksandra
A
Institute of Social Medicine, Medical School Belgrade University, Belgrade, Serbia. aljvranes@yahoo.co.uk
Bjegovic-Mikanovic
Vesna
V
Marinkovic
Jelena
J
Kocev
Nikola
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012649:Self Concept; D055771:Serbia; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult