Assessment of health literacy among migrant populations in Southern Spain: A cross-sectional study.
Miriam Poza-Méndez, Pilar Bas-Sarmiento, Ismail Erahmouni and 1 others
PMID 36480226WHAT IT FOUND
Migrants in Southern Spain struggled to understand and use health information, especially for disease prevention.
Nurses caring for recently arrived patients should check what they can access and apply, and tailor education rather than assume they know how to use preventive services.
Key findings
01Among 278 migrants, the average health literacy score was 9.92 out of 16, a problematic level.
02Disease prevention was the weakest domain, with a mean score of 2.72 on a 5-point index.
03Length of stay in Spain, health sciences education and education level were associated with health literacy, and the model reported 21.2% of health literacy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a non-probabilistic convenience sample recruited through associations, so it may not represent all migrants in Spain. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that low health literacy caused poor health or that an intervention would improve outcomes. The questionnaire measured perceived difficulty, not objective ability to use health information. The findings are context-dependent and may not transfer to other migrant groups or health systems. Income data were missing for 47.5% of participants, so income could not be included as a predictor.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as evidence that health literacy causes poorer health or that an education programme will improve outcomes. This was a convenience survey of perceived difficulty in one area, and the model reported 21.2% of health literacy.