Assessment of Health Literacy Levels Among Women Visiting Comprehensive Health Centers in Gorgan in 2024

Maryam Maghsoodlo

Authors

Maryam Maghsoodlo Department of Nursing, Am.C., Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

Keywords:

pregnancy health literacy, Maternal health literacy, prenatal care, pregnant women, rural Comprehensive Health Service Centers, Gorgan

Abstract

Health literacy comprises the knowledge and skills needed to obtain, understand, evaluate, and use health information appropriately. During pregnancy, adequate maternal health literacy may facilitate informed decision-making and appropriate use of prenatal care. This study assessed maternal and pregnancy health literacy and related factors among pregnant women attending rural Comprehensive Health Service Centers in Gorgan County, Iran, in 2024.

This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study included 310 pregnant women selected through stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. Data were collected using a validated Maternal and Pregnancy Health Literacy Questionnaire and a demographic and clinical characteristics checklist. Statistical analyses included the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05.

The mean age of participants was 32.13 years. Maternal health literacy was significantly inversely associated with the number of pregnancies (r = −0.357, P = 0.001) and positively associated with the number of prenatal care visits (r = 0.176, P = 0.002).

Maternal health literacy was associated with pregnancy history and utilization of prenatal care services. These findings emphasize the need for targeted educational strategies to strengthen pregnant women’s ability to access, comprehend, and apply health information, which may facilitate appropriate prenatal care and contribute to improved maternal and neonatal health.

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