Understanding health literacy and digital healthy diet literacy in rural women in Türkiye

A cross-sectional study on social media use and Mediterranean diet adherence

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22067080
AutoresZehra Batu (0000-0002-9748-1116, Necmettin Erbakan University, autor correspondente), Sefer Kalaman (0000-0002-2761-1229, Ankara University), Mikail Batu (0000-0002-6791-0098, Necmettin Erbakan University), Zülfiye ACAR ŞENTÜRK (0000-0003-2606-3547, Yozgat Bozok Üniversitesi), Handan GÜLER İPLİKÇİ (0000-0002-6973-0242, Manisa Celal Bayar University), Nazmi Ekin Vural (0000-0003-4198-0407, Yozgat Bozok Üniversitesi), İlkay Burak Taşkıran (0000-0001-9520-9744, Türkisch-Deutsche Universität)
Ano2025
Volume13
Páginas1559159-1559159
Data de publicação2025-05-30
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
EditoraFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2025.1559159
PMID40520297
OpenAlexW4410890392
IdiomaDE
Referências citadas60

Background: Health literacy (HL) is the ability to search for, acquire, understand, interpret, and act upon basic information, concepts, and services about health to make correct and informed health decisions about. In terms of public health, low HL can lead to negative health outcomes, increased healthcare costs, increased medical and medication errors, disruption of the treatment process, and increased mortality. Methods: This study investigated factors associated with HL and digital healthy diet literacy (DDL), focusing on rural women using social media. This cross-sectional study included women aged 18-65 years living in rural areas in Türkiye between 01/12/2023 and 29/02/2024. The variables examined regarding HL and DDL are duration and purpose of use of the internet and social media, compliance with the Mediterranean diet, and sociodemographic characteristics. HL and DDL were evaluated using the Turkish version of HLS-SF12 and DDL scale. Results: The maximum score that can be obtained from the HLS-SF12 and DDL scale is 50 and the average index values of the participants were determined as 26.70 and 21.99, respectively. HL and DDL index scores were affected by the purpose and duration of internet/social media use. HL and DDL index scores were found to be higher in those who had a diet history under dietitian counseling, university graduates, those who adhered to the Mediterranean diet, and those with higher household income. In addition, it was determined that DDL index and HL index correlated with Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score and Body Mass Index (BMI). Conclusion: HL index and DDL index scores differ depending on the duration and purpose of internet use, age, presence of chronic disease, education level, and income level. It is recommended to conduct further studies evaluating the use of social media as a tool to promote HL, DDL, and healthy eating behaviors in different populations

Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Health literacy · Literacy · Mediterranean diet · Political science · Social media · Sociology · Demography · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Psychology · Social Media in Health Education · Gerontology · Internal Medicine