Avaliação do letramento funcional em saúde de cuidadores de bebês menores de um ano

Abstract

Functional Health Literacy (FHL) is the ability to read, comprehend, and apply health-related instructions. Inadequate FHL directly affects the health of the population. The assessment of health literacy in Brazil is a growing field of research. Concerning children's health, it lacks the agency for care, as it is primarily governed by legal entities. A good understanding of therapeutic instructions for children's health contributes to preventing the worsening of their health condition. The objective of this project is to evaluate the functional health literacy skills and mathematical comprehension of pregnant women and caregivers of infants up to 01 year of age, concerning pediatric instructions, perception of quality of life, and associated factors. This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, involving caregivers of infants up to 01 year of age. The participants' socioeconomic profile will be identified using the "Critério Brasil," an instrument developed by the Brazilian Association of Companies and Research (ABEP). The instrument adapted and validated culturally in Brazil to assess the level of functional health literacy related to child health is the "Parental Health Literacy Activities Test – PHLAT." To assess quality of life, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (Whoqol- Bref), developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), will be used. The instruments will be made available online in an asynchronous manner. The sample consisted of 37 participants, mostly females and mothers. The majority of primary caregivers were married mothers with completed higher education or post-graduation. The results showed that the participants performed inadequately in the functional health literacy test, with an average correct response rate of 65%, indicating a low ability to comprehend and apply child health-related information. Based on the findings, educational videos were developed to address the aspects with the lowest performance in the instrument application. These videos will be made available on the researchers' social media and sent via email to the research participants.