Adolescent health literacy in India: insights from multi-state cross-sectional study

Abstract

There is a dearth of studies on health literacy (HL) among adolescents in India. The country has a large young population, but their health literacy levels are not explored. This study assessed HL levels in 4,237 adolescents aged 12–15 across five Indian states using Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC). The results showed 72.6% had moderate HL. Female (54.1%) adolescents had higher HL but overall health literacy levels were higher in the practical knowledge (65.2%) and self-awareness (60.4%) domains. Vernacular medium schools showed better HL levels compared to English medium schools. Adolescent HL levels varied across different states in India. To promote healthy lifestyle behaviours, there is a need to address adolescent HL in India.