How health literacy associates with healthcare utilization and health promotion behaviours in Turkey?: Contributions to discussions concerning the Anderson model and ecological models

Abstract

Background: This study examined how health literacy (HL) levels are associated with health care utilization (HCU) and health promotion behaviours (HPB) in Turkey. Methods: We conducted face-to-face interviews and utilised the Turkish HL Scale-32 (n = 6228). Results: HL score was inversely related to the number of outpatient admissions (OAs) (β = −0.001) and emergency department admissions (EAs) (β = −0.006) in the Poisson regression model. Sex, age, perceived health, income group, and education level were other variables related to the number of OAs and EAs. Health literacy levels were related to physical activity (PA) (for excellent HL, OR: 3.93 (95% CI: 2.54–6.08)) and acquiring healthy eating habits (HEHs) (for excellent HL, OR: 3.56 (95% CI: 2.40–5.29) in the logistic regression model. Education levels are related to PA, HEHs, and smoking cessation or reduction. Income groups, except those with very sufficient income, are related to PA and HEHs. Conclusion: Improving HL can help reduce health admissions. The relationship of HCU with gender, age, education, perceived health, and income group supports the Anderson model. Limited HL groups should be prioritised as risk groups in health promotion programs. The association of HL and socio-economic variables with HPB supports the ecological model.