Assessment of Health Literacy in adult population of Karachi: A preliminary investigation for concept-based evidence

Objectives: To assess the health literacy in adult population of Karachi.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted in three union councils of Karachi included 315 adult respondents by using multistage random sampling technique. A validated Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-Asia-Q) developed by Asian Health Literacy Association was used. The health literacy broadly conceptualized in three domains of health care, disease prevention and health promotion which encompass the individual competencies as to access, understand, judge and apply health information.Principal investigator and trained interviewer administered the structured questionnaire after taking informed consent from the respondents. The basic demographics, responses of each item of questionnaire and health literacy concept-based matrix were used to show the results.
Results: Limited Health Literacy pertains in 82.4% of Karachi population. Health Promotion domain was least on the matrix (24.3±9.8) irrespective of gender, age, education and profession. Majority of respondents (70%) facing difficulty in finding and understanding health information for their well-being.
Conclusions: Health literacy is an unexplored concept in Pakistan. The concept-based evidence sensitized health care professionals to focus on the individual competencies and take initiatives to improve health literacy.