Health literacy among rural adolescents in Amravati, Maharashtra: A Community based cross-sectional study

Introduction: In public health, health literacy is paramount, encompassing the understanding and interaction with health information and services. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of insufficient health literacy among adolescents residing in rural areas and ascertain potential links between health literacy and socio-demographic variables. Methodology: The research included 421 adolescents residing in rural areas of Amravati, Maharashtra. Data collection utilized the standardized tool Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA). Analysis was performed using STATA version 14, with descriptive data such as health literacy and socio-demographic variables were summarized using frequency and percentage. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify the predictors of health literacy. Results: In this study, the proportions of inadequate health literacy were 18.3%, problematic health literacy (43.5%), sufficient health literacy (34.4%), and excellent health literacy at 3.8%. Age, gender, education, and information sources from family, internet, and school demonstrated significant associations with health literacy (p < 0.05). Adolescents aged 10-12 years had a 1.56 times higher likelihood of limited health literacy than those aged 17-19 (aPR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.12-2.18, p = 0.008). Females exhibited an 18% lower likelihood of limited health literacy than males (aPR = 0.82, CI: 0.71-0.94, p = 0.08). Participants with education below the 10th grade displayed a 2.45 times higher likelihood of limited health literacy compared to those with intermediate and diploma level education (aPR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.07-5.57, p = 0.033). Conclusion: This study highlights a substantial prevalence of inadequate and problematic health literacy among rural adolescents in Amravati, Maharashtra. The targeted interventions integrating health education into formal schooling and health information platforms are crucial to empower adolescents.