Evaluation of the effectiveness of a health literacy education program during the pandemic

Objectives: This study investigated the effectiveness of a health literacy education program on first and emergency aid students during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This study adopted a single group pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design. The study population consisted of 135 students of the First and Emergency Aid Program of a private university in Konya, Turkey. No sampling was performed because we could reach the entire study population. Therefore, the sample consisted of 114 students. Participants attended a health literacy education program (intervention). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a personal information form and the Health Literacy Scale (HLS). Number, percentage, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. The study adhered to all ethical principles. Results: Participants had a significantly higher mean post-test HLS score (117 ± 5.03) than the pre-test score (105 ± 11.50) (p <0.05). Participants with a high income had a significantly higher mean post-test HLS score than those with a low income (p <0.05). Participants covered by insurance had a significantly higher mean post-test HLS score than those who were not (p <0.05). Participants who did regular exercise had a significantly higher mean post-test HLS score than those who did not (p <0.05). Participants who knew about health literacy before the intervention had a significantly higher mean post-test HLS score than those who did not (p <0.05). Conclusion: The education program helped participants learn more about health literacy. Therefore, universities should integrate it into their curricula.