Relationship between health literacy and health promoting behaviors in patients with heart failure referred to clinics of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Patients with heart failure are considered one of the most important groups exposed to the danger of low health literacy that may affect their health-promotion behaviors and quality of life and increase the load of health-related costs. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors in patients with heart failure who referred to heart clinics of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This correlational study was conducted on 300 heart failure patients, selected by random cluster sampling method with proportional allocation. Data collection tool was demographic information questionnaire, Health literacy measurement and Health promoting Lifestyle Profile 2 (HPLP2). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 19 though statistical tests, including independent t-test, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney-U test and Kruskal-Wallis. The results showed that mean and standard deviation (SD) score of health literacy of participants was 3.29 +/- 0.6 and meanand SD score of health-promoting behaviors was 2.42 +/- 0.29. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed direct and significant relationship between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors (r=0.66, P<0.001). The results of this research showed the statistically significant relationship between health literacy level and health-promoting behavior. Therefore, health literacy should be paid special attention, as a factor affecting health-promoting behaviors, healthy life style and quality of life. According to the results of this study, programming education and development of health-promoting behaviors in patients with heart failure suggest that the health literacy needs more attention inhealth-promotion plans.