Fariba Abdollahi - Department of Medical Sciences, Qazvin branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran
Seyede Soghra Taher Harikandeie - Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Alborz, Iran
Leila Dehghankar - Department of Nursing, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Zahra Tayebi Myaneh - Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Alborz, Iran
Simin Zarrabadi Pour - Department of Nursing, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

Background: Inadequate health literacy has negative effects on physical and mental performance, medication adherence, self-care behaviors and quality of life . The impact of health literacy on different aspects of illness perception in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is not clear. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine relationship between health literacy and illness perception in patients with MS. Methods: This was a correlational study on ۱۰۰ patients with MS who had been referred to neurology clinic of Abu Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin (Iran) in ۲۰۱۷-۲۰۱۸. The subjects were enrolled via convenience sampling. A demographic information questionnaire, the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument, and the brief illness perception questionnaire (BIPQ) were used to collect data. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version ۲۲) using descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression model. Results: Adequate health literacy  level was found in ۱۱% of patients; ۲۶% had a possibility of limited health literacy and ۶۳% had a high likelihood of limited health literacy. The mean illness perception score was ۳۵.۵۳±۱.۳۱ (moderate). There was no significant relationship between health literacy and the mean score of illness perception (r=-۰.۰۱۴, P=۰.۸۹۴). However, there was a significant relationship between perception and recognition of present illness, as a subscale of illness perception with health literacy (r=۰.۲۴۳, P=۰.۰۱۵). Variables in the multi-variate predictive model accounted for ۳۷.۶ % of the total variance in heath literacy.  Duration of illness perception significantly predict health literacy (B=۰.۰۵۲, P=۰.۰۳۵). Moreover, the only predictor of illness perception in patients with MS was income level (B=۸۷.۸۷, P=۰.۰۵), which explained ۳۵.۷% of the illness perception changes. Conclusion: Based on the results, illness perception is significantly associated with health literacy. Therefore, it is necessary to promote health literacy in order to improve understanding the nature and consequences of the disease and conduct further research on the relationship between health literacy and illness perception among patients with MS.

Multiple Sclerosis, Health Literacy, Illness Perception