Abstract

ARAUJO, Isabel Maria Batista de et al. Health literacy of patients with hypertension and diabetes in a northern region of Portugal. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2018, vol.serIV, n.18, pp.73-82. ISSN 0874-0283.  https://doi.org/10.12707/RIV18008.

Background: Health Literacy (HL) is a concept that can be analyzed in 3 domains: health promotion, disease prevention and health care. Objective: Describe HL level of a group of patients with hypertension and diabetes in a northern region of Portugal. Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive-exploratory study. Sample of convenience, with 401 users of a cluster of health centers in the northern region of Portugal. Data were collected after informed consent of the users, through a survey with the LS assessment scale European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-PT), translated and validated into Portuguese. Descriptive and inferential statistics techniques were used, using SPSS, version 24. Results: Users presented an inadequate or problematic level of HL. These considered the doctor and the nurse as the professionals who can improve their HL level. Conclusion: Low HL level is a problem for health management, it is important to focus on a strategy to increase HL in chronic disease patients.

Keywords : health literacy; diabetes mellitus; hypertension; chronic disease.

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