Identifying Primary School Teachers' Health Literacy

Abstract

Health literacy (HL) not only determines people's motivation and competence levels to obtain and to understand health-related information but also strengthens their views on how to keep good health by seeking different ways. Although an interest in health literacy has significantly increased in the world since 1990, this sphere remains urgent. It is agreed that a lot of research analysing people's lifestyle peculiarities has been carried out in Lithuania, however, preserving significance of health literacy and strengthening health have not yet been explored, especially speaking about certain professional people groups. Even though school has a pivotal mission for good physical and psychic health of young generation, very little research has focused on primary school teachers' health literacy. Thereby, the need for the current research emerges. Through a qualitative research, 88 primary school teachers participated in the current research. A 5 open-ended item questionnaire was used to collect data that were further processed using the quantitative content analysis. The results indicated that knowledge about healthy lifestyle, practical behaviour and healthy lifestyle promotion were the essential components of the teachers' health literacy. Though, their parameters of main health literacy were understandable and quite well evaluated; nevertheless, they lacked knowledge and practical abilities. This research recommends that only teachers' competencies of health literacy and personal healthy lifestyle experience can contribute to students' healthy living habits.