Sociodemographic Determinants of Health Literacy Among University Students of Health Sciences in Kosovo

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 (approximate to 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.Cilj Na & scaron; cilj je bil oceniti stopnjo in sociodemografske korelate zdravstvene pismenosti med univerzitetnimi & scaron;tudenti zdravstvenih ved na Kosovu.Metode Med februarjem in aprilom 2024 smo na Kosovu izvedli prese & ccaron;no & scaron;tudijo, ki je vklju & ccaron;evala 470 & scaron;tudentov zdravstvenih ved na univerzah v Pri & scaron;tini in & Dstrok;akovici (approximate to 86% & zcaron;ensk; povpre & ccaron;na starost: 20,7 +/- 2,7 leta; stopnja odziva: 70 %). Uporabili smo mednarodno standardiziran samoocenjevalni vpra & scaron;alnik European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q), skupaj s podatki o sociodemografskih dejavnikih. Za ocenjevanje neodvisnih sociodemografskih korelatov smo uporabili binarno logisti & ccaron;no regresijo.Rezultati Samo pri 7 % & scaron;tudentov smo zaznali >> nezadostno in/ali problemati & ccaron;no << zdravstveno pismenost, pribli & zcaron;no 93 % udele & zcaron;encev pa je izkazalo >> zadostno in/ali odli & ccaron;no << zdravstveno pismenost. V modelih multivariatne prilagojene binarne logisti & ccaron;ne regresije je bila >> nezadostna in/ali problemati & ccaron;na << zdravstvena pismenost mo & ccaron;no in pozitivno povezana samo z mo & scaron;kim spolom (RO = 3,6, 95-% IZ = 1,5-8,9).Zaklju & ccaron;ki Med univerzitetnimi & scaron;tudenti zdravstvenih ved na Kosovu, zlasti pri & zcaron;enskah, smo dokazali razmeroma visoko splo & scaron;no zdravstveno pismenost. Pove & ccaron;anje zdravstvene pismenosti med bodo & ccaron;imi zdravstvenimi delavci bi lahko postalo vodilo politik, ki dajejo prednost vklju & ccaron;itvi zdravstvenega izobra & zcaron;evanja in virov v visoko & scaron;olske ustanove, kar bi lahko izbolj & scaron;alo z zdravjem povezano vedenje in zdravstvene izide & scaron;tudentov, ki so pomemben pogoj za njihovo prihodnje delo z bolniki in skupnostmi.