Prevalence and Associated Factors of Limited Health Literacy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kalutara District of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Health literacy is a key determinant of health. Despite its importance, research on health literacy in Sri Lanka is sparse, and the existing evidence is inconclusive. This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of Limited Health Literacy (LHL) among adults in the Kalutara district of Sri Lanka. Before conducting the study, the HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire was translated into Sinhala, adapted and validated for use in Sri Lanka. The validation study and cross-sectional study recruited 247 and 781 participants, respectively. Data was collected through a household survey using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was employed to assess the associated factors. The prevalence of limited health literacy was 63.8%, and it was significantly associated with lower family income, physical inactivity, betel chewing, habit of adding salt when cooking rice, poor self-reported health status, unmet healthcare needs, limited participation in health screening and being uninsured for health. The high prevalence of LHL warrants urgent action on improving health literacy in Sri Lanka. The findings of this study indicate the potential link between health literacy and several public health concerns in Sri Lanka, including low health screening coverage, low physical activity, high salt consumption and betel chewing. Interventions to improve health literacy could be beneficial when addressing these issues.