Navigational health literacy among displaced higher education students in Alentejo, Portugal

a cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Jorge Miguel Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Beja, Portugal | Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal | Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évpra, Évora, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9178-3773
  • Sara Dias Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal. |citechcare - Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology, Polytechnic of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal.| School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic of Leiria, Campus 2 - Morro do Lena, Alto do Vieiro, Leiria, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6782-7481
  • Eunice Santos Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal | Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évpra, Évora, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1943-9246
  • Sónia Dias NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5085-0685
  • Ana Rita Pedro NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9197-7129

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48492/servir0211.38993

Keywords:

Navigational Health Literacy, Health Literacy, Higher Education, Students, Nursing

Abstract

Introduction: Navigational Health Literacy (NHL), related to Health Literacy (HL), refers to the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information to effectively navigate health services and obtain appropriate care.

Objective: To assess the level of NHL among displaced higher education students in Alentejo, Portugal, and its association with key sociodemographic and health determinants.

Methods: This was a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study with a sample of 1,519 displaced students. An online questionnaire was applied, with the HLS19-NAV scale (Navigational Health Literacy from the European Health Literacy Population Survey 2019-2021), sociodemographic and health variables. The analysis included descriptive statistics, Student’s t-tests, ANOVA and multiple linear regression (p < 0.05). The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Évora, following informed consent.

Results: The mean NHL index was 24.3 ± 30.0 on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. Lower NHL levels were associated with students with chronic diseases, whereas higher levels were observed among students in health-related courses, final-year students, and those with greater financial availability (p < .001).

Conclusion: Low NHL levels can make it difficult to access and utilise healthcare and nursing care, requiring specific interventions in this area.

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Published

2025-02-03

How to Cite

Miguel, J., Dias, S., Santos, E., Dias, S., & Pedro, A. R. (2025). Navigational health literacy among displaced higher education students in Alentejo, Portugal: a cross-sectional study. Servir, 2(11), e38993. https://doi.org/10.48492/servir0211.38993

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 11 (2025): Serie 2, n.º 11

Section

Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2025 Jorge Miguel, Sara Dias, Eunice Santos, Sónia Dias, Ana Rita Pedro

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