Evaluation of communication between healthcare workers and patients with chronic diseases according to their levels of health literacy

Health literacy can be defined as the ability to read, understand and act based on the healthcare recommendations. Today, inadequate health literacy is considered a global threat. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate how healthcare workers communicate with patients with chronic diseases according to their health literacy level in health care centers. This cross sectional research was conducted among 240 patients with chronic diseases who were selected by multistage random sampling. Data collection tools included chew’s health literacy questionnaire and adult primary care questionnaire to assess communication related health literacy. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16. Healthliteracy was inadequate, marginal and adequate in 50.4%, 11.7% and 37.9% of the subjects, respectively. The variable of communication health literacy in 76.7% of the subjects was weak and in others was evaluated acceptable. The findings showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between inadequate health literacy and communication health literacy. The subjects with inadequate health literacy reported that the major problems concerning communication health literacy included the use of specialized terminology, fast talking, inadequate attention to people talking, no use of visual and understandable media, no response to concerns, inadequate opportunities for asking questionsand receiving no feedback. Then, the adequate training and information must be provided to healthcare workers in the field of health literacy assessment and using communication skills commensurate with health literacy level of people with chronic diseases that staff can communicate effectively with patients in health centers.