The importance of health literacy (HL) has been increasingly recognized within healthcare settings globally, particularly as it relates to patient outcomes. A recent study conducted at Lebanese hospitals has shed light on this topic, investigating the impact of health literacy on healthcare outcomes for hospitalized patients, including aspects of quality of life and antibiotic knowledge.
The research, led by experts from the Lebanese American University and other affiliated institutions, was performed over several months, from October 2022 to April 2023, during which 135 hospitalized patients were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The study revealed significant insights: approximately 64.4% of the participants exhibited sufficient health literacy, correlated with gender, marital status, and occupation.
The findings demonstrate the potential of health literacy levels to facilitate improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures among individuals. Patients with adequate HL not only reported higher quality of life but also demonstrated enhanced knowledge about antibiotic use, contrasted with those exhibiting insufficient HL who engaged more frequently in risky medication practices and showcased misconceptions around antibiotic efficacy.
Health literacy, defined as the capacity to obtain, understand, evaluate, and apply health information effectively, was assessed using the validated HLS-EU-Q16 tool, which measures various dimensions of health-related knowledge. Alongside this, HRQoL was evaluated through the EQ-5D-5L instrument, which considers the physical, mental, and social well-being of patients.
One pivotal insight from the study indicated patients with sufficient health literacy had higher average antibiotic knowledge scores, achieving around 4.5 out of 8 compared to 3.1 for those with insufficient HL. This disparity accentuates the need for educational interventions targeting health literacy, particularly concerning prudent antibiotic use, as misconceptions were prevalent. For example, more than 50% of respondents erroneously believed antibiotics could treat viral infections. Such misperceptions contribute to the global antibiotic resistance crisis, posing health risks on both individual and community levels.
The link between health literacy and health outcomes continues to gain traction among researchers. Previous studies have illustrated the correlation between low health literacy and increased hospital visits and emergency care utilization. For the Lebanese population, insights from this study could serve as a precursor for developing educational frameworks aimed at improving health literacy among patients, integrating assessments directly within hospital practices.
With only 38.2% of participants aware of antibiotic resistance having been educated by healthcare providers, the study highlights the urgent need for enhanced communication strategies and targeted educational initiatives by health professionals. By ensuring patients understand the importance of antibiotics and the risks associated with insufficient health literacy, healthcare services can tailor interventions to mitigate risks and improve patient outcomes.
The conclusions drawn from this study hold significant relevance for healthcare providers and policymakers alike. Raising awareness about the impact of health literacy is necessary to forge strategies capable of fostering informed communities armed with the knowledge needed to navigate healthcare systems effectively and safely. Future directives include implementing health literacy screening tools during patient evaluations and launching national health campaigns aimed at promoting solar health literacy and antibiotic knowledge.
Through such efforts, there lies the potential for improved health outcomes, reduced medical errors, and more responsible antibiotic use, contributing to the broader goal of combatting antibiotic resistance and enhancing healthcare quality.