An investigation of the relationship between health literacy and quality of life in pregnant women

Abstract

Aim: The research was carried out to determine the relationship between health literacy and quality of life in pregnant women.Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 219 pregnant women in a private hospital in Ankara. Data were collected through the Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32, the WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Scale, and the Socio-demographic Form. Statistical analyses included numbers, percentages, means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation, and linear regression analysis.Results: In the study, it was determined that the pregnant women had insufficient health literacy (n=15), problematic-limited health literacy (n=41), adequate health (n=87), and excellent health literacy (n=76). This study found a linear and positive relationship between health literacy and quality of life (p<0.05). In addition, a one-unit increase in the Health Literacy Scale was found to cause an increase in all sub-scales of the Quality-of-Life Scale, and this increase was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: As a result of the data obtained from the study, it was determined that there was a positive, and weak relationship between the health literacy level of pregnant women and their quality of life.