Health Literacy and Dietary Decision-Making Process among Families in Ondo State Nigeria

Background and Objective: This study examined the relationship between families' nutritional decision-making processes at home and their level of health literacy in Ondo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on Eight hundred and twenty-two (۸۲۲) respondents from ۲۷۴ families. Study participants were selected from those who fulfilled the selection criteria for participating in the study from six Local Government Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria. In this study, questionnaires of Health Literacy Survey European Union (HLS-EU-Q۱۶) and dietary decision-making were used. Data was obtained using a computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test, p<۰,۰۵ at level of significance.Results: The average age of respondents was ۵۳ + ۶.۹, ۴۴ + ۸.۵ and ۱۹ + ۴.۷ years for fathers, mothers and children, respectively. ۳۰۳(۶۷.۵), ۲۲۵(۶۳.۷) and ۶(۳۰.۰%) for father, mother and children respectively revealed an inadequate level of health literacy. The study also revealed that ۲۳۴(۷۴.۵), ۲۸۳(۵۹.۰) and ۱۷(۶۰.۷%) of fathers, mothers and children respectively who had inadequate health literacy were the ones who made dietary decisions. There was a significant association between the level of health literacy and the dietary decision-making process of family members at (p<۰,۰۵) as revealed by Chi-Square results.Conclusion: Results revealed that it can be concluded that more men who made dietary decisions have inadequate health literacy, it is therefore recommended that attention pe paid to this group in the community and to design and implement appropriate training programs to increase their level of health literacy.

Keywords:

Health Literacy , Family , Decision-Making Process , Ondo , Nigeria