Health literacy Knowledge and understanding of registered nurses in tertiary care teaching hospital of eastern Nepal: two important dimensions for better health results

Background: Difference in health literacy skills among peoples is a cause of health inequality and has a profound effect on health care system. Correlation between health literacy and health outcome of patient subsequently demands identification of patient’s health literacy level by health professionals. Objective: The study aims to assess the health literacy knowledge and understanding of registered nurses working in tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional method was employed among 125 registered nurses. Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey (HLKES-2) was used to gather knowledge related data. Descriptive statistical tools, t Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H were used to analyze the data. A focus group discussion (N=10) was conducted to obtain nurses' understanding of health literacy. Results: Majority of nurses had not heard the term health literacy before. Finding suggest gap in health literacy knowledge among nurses. Knowledge scarcity was in almost all areas but noticeably in the area of evaluation of healthcare teaching. Half of the respondent scored less than 50% of the total score. Analysis demonstrated that Health literacy knowledge was independent of nurses' characteristics. Conclusion: limited knowledge of health literacy among nurses stresses for integration of health literacy education in nursing curriculum and continuing education.