Health literacy of university employees: The role of sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Health literacy plays a key role in promoting overall health and preventing diseases among individuals and communities. However, the literature regarding health literacy among university employees is still evolving and not thoroughly understood. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the association between health literacy and sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status of university employees in Jordan. METHODS: This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. A total of 163 university employees participated by completing a demographics questionnaire and the Health Literacy Questionnaire. The Health Literacy Questionnaire is considered a comprehensive tool to assess health literacy, and it encompasses nine distinct scales. The body mass index was calculated by obtaining the participants’ height and weight. RESULTS: The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that three factors had a statistically significant effect on the linear composite of the Health Literacy Questionnaire scales. These factors were the university employees’ age, highest level of education, and body mass index. Follow-up analyses revealed that university employees’ sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status affect different domains of health literacy. Compared to overweight employees, those with normal body mass index had higher mean average scores on six (out of nine) scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the need for addressing the nutritional status and sociodemographic characteristics as a source of disparity in university employees’ health literacy. Such factors should be addressed in designing tailored health promotion interventions for university employees.