Health Literacy and Its Association with Health Perception in Pregnant Women

Background and Objective: Pregnancy is an important period for women.  Pregnant women’s health literacy level usually increases during pregnancy and they gain a positive perception of health because they try to benefit from health services, and they are most willing to learn health-related information. The aim of this study is to examine the level of health literacy and health perception of pregnant women.   Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on ۱۰۹ pregnant women who referred to the family health center in Suşehri, a district of Sivas, a province in the eastern part of the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, from February ۲۰۱۸ to February ۲۰۱۹. Pregnant Women Information Form, Health Literacy Survey, and Health Perception Scale were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed by the frequency test, t-test, One Way ANOVA, and correlation analysis.   Results: In the study, the mean scores of health literacy and health perception in participants were ۸۹.۸۶ ± ۱۵.۰۱ and ۴۵.۴۹ ± ۹.۵۳ respectively. The analysis of the health literacy and health perception of the pregnant women in terms of their education status demonstrated that mean scores of the health literacy and health perception were significantly  (p <۰.۰۵) increased with increasing education level of pregnant women. In this study, the participants had the highest level of literacy that had higher perception from their health, intended pregnancy, the interval between two pregnancies (months ≥ ۲۴), and they used the modern family planning method after delivery.   Conclusion: The results obtained in the study demonstrated that the level of health perception and health literacy were sufficient in pregnant women, and education, intended pregnancy, and perception of pregnancy can affect level of health perception and health literacy. Therefore, women’ health literacy levels should be determined and improved during preconception care.

Keywords:

pregnancy , Literacy , Health Literacy , Perception of health