Examination of the effect of health literacy on patient participation and patient activation in individuals with chronic diseases

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the relationships between health literacy, patient participation and patient activation variables, and to investigate whether patient activation has a mediating effect on the impact of health literacy on patient participation.MethodsThe population of the study consists of individuals with chronic diseases who applied to different outpatient clinics of a city hospital in Türkiye. Data was collected from 671 individuals using the convenience sampling method in the study.ResultsAccording to the results of the correlation analysis conducted in the study, statistically significant, positive relationships were found between health literacy and patient activation, health literacy and patient participation, patient activation and patient participation. The results of the regression analysis showed that health literacy explained 10% of the total variance in patient participation and 8% of the total variance in patient activation, while patient activation explained 11% of the total variance in patient participation. Additionally, the study determined that patient activation plays a statistically significant and positive mediating role in the relationship between health literacy and patient participation.DiscussionThe results show that as the level of health literacy increases in individuals with chronic diseases, patient participation and patient activation may also increase.