title: The relationship between health literacy with health status and healthcare utilization in 18-64 years old people in Isfahan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Today, much attention has been paid to the patient role as the central factor in the management of their own health. It is focused on the issue that the patient has a more critical role compared with the health-care provider in controlling the patient own health. defines health literacy as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine health literacy, health status, healthcare utilization and the relationship between them in 18 - 64 years old people in Isfahan.
  This study was a descriptive analytical survey, which was conducted on 300 subjects of 18-64 years old in Isfahan with Multi-stage sampling method proportional to selected sample size.
  
  
  METHODS
  For collecting the data, questionnaire adapted from CHAP (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) health literacy questionnaire was used. Health status was measured based on an assessment of the physical and mental health over the past 6 months by 5° Likert scale. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS 18, descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and multivariate analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant correlation between health literacy, health status and healthcare utilization. Utilization was less in the urban area No. 6 of the city. In the bachelor's degree group, the health status was lower than the other groups in these cases: Older ages, married, women, large family size, undergraduates, and urban area No. 14.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the average prevalence of health literacy in 18-64 years old individuals in Isfahan and low- healthcare utilization, the followings are recommended: Necessity of more attention to the issue of health literacy, improving the physician-patient relationship and community awareness, whether through health promotion programs or media for the optimum use of available resources.
authors: Department of Health Services Management, Health Management and Economic Research Center, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Karimi
authors: Department of Health Services Management, Social Determinate of Health Research Center, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Keyvanara
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Mohsen
authors: M
authors: Hosseini
authors: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Marzie Jafarian
authors: MJ
authors: Jazi
authors: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Elahe
authors: E
authors: Khorasani
keywords: Healthcare utilization; health literacy; health status