A1 Journal article (refereed)
A Comparative Study on Adolescents’ Health Literacy in Europe : Findings from the HBSC Study (2020)

Paakkari, L., Torppa, M., Mazur, J., Boberova, Z., Sudeck, G., Kalman, M., & Paakkari, O. (2020). A Comparative Study on Adolescents’ Health Literacy in Europe : Findings from the HBSC Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(10), Article 3543. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103543

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Paakkari, Leena; Torppa, Minna; Mazur, Joanna; Boberova, Zuzana; Sudeck, Gorden; Kalman, Michal; Paakkari, Olli

Journal or series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

ISSN: 1661-7827

eISSN: 1660-4601

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 17

Issue number: 10

Article number: 3543

Publisher: MDPI

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103543

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/69151

Abstract

(1) Background: There is a need for studies on population-level health literacy (HL) to identify the current state of HL within and between countries. We report comparative findings from 10 European countries (Austria, Belgium (Fl), Czechia, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Macedonia, Poland, and Slovakia) on adolescents’ HL and its associations with gender, family affluence (FAS), and self-rated health (SRH). (2) Methods: Representative data (N = 14,590; age 15) were drawn from the HBSC (Health Behavior in School-Aged Children) study. The associations between HL, gender, FAS, and SRH were examined via path models. (3) Results: The countries exhibited differences in HL means and in the range of scores within countries. Positive associations were found between FAS and HL, and between HL and SRH in each country. Gender was associated with differences in HL in only three countries. HL acted as a mediator between gender and SRH in four countries, and between FAS and SRH in each country. (4) Conclusions: The findings confirm that there are differences in HL levels within and between European countries, and that HL does contribute to differences in SRH. HL should be taken into account when devising evidence-informed policies and interventions to promote the health of adolescents.

Keywords: young people; health literacy; health behaviour; self-rated health; comparative research

Free keywords: health literacy; adolescent; self-rated health; comparative study

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Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1