Abstract
Objective
Our objective was to assess the level and sociodemographic correlates of health literacy (HL) among university students of health sciences in Kosovo.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo during February-April 2024, including 470 students of health sciences from the universities of Prishtina and Gjakova (≈86% females; mean age: 20.7±2.7 years; response rate: 70%). The internationally standardised European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) was self-administered, along with information on sociodemographic factors. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the independent sociodemographic correlates of HL.
Results
Only 7% of the students exhibited “inadequate and/or problematic” HL, whereas about 93% of participants displayed “sufficient and/or excellent” HL. In multivariable-adjusted binary logistic regression models, “inadequate and/or problematic” HL was strongly and positively associated with the male gender only (OR=3.6, 95%CI=1.5-8.9).
Conclusions
We evidenced a relatively high general HL level among university students of health sciences in Kosovo, especially among females. Enhancing HL among future health professionals could guide policies that prioritise embedding health education and resources into higher education institutions, potentially improving students’ health behaviours and health outcomes, as a major prerequisite for their future work with patients and communities.