Assessment of health literacy levels among the adult population of Mongolia

Abstract

Background: Health literacy is a multidimensional concept encompassing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills required for individuals to obtain, understand, appraise, and apply health-related information. It is essential for accessing quality healthcare services and making informed health decisions in daily life. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the level of health literacy among the adult population of Mongolia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted involving 1,500 Mongolian adults. Data was collected using the Health Literacy Survey European Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47), which evaluates four core competencies: accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health information. Responses were measured on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very difÏcult) to 4 (very easy). Health literacy levels were categorized based on standardized scores: inadequate (0–25), limited (25–33), sufÏcient (33–42), and excellent (42–50). Results: The mean age of the participants was 34.79±15.04 years, with 42.1% being male and 57.9% female. Socioeconomic data showed that 52.1% were married, 37.7% were single, 43.2% had completed secondary education, and 40.5% held a university degree. Lifestyle assessments revealed that 16.4% were daily smokers, 7.0% consumed alcohol daily, and only 12.5% engaged in regular physical exercise. Regarding education, 50.7% of participants with higher education demonstrated “sufÏcient or excellent” health literacy, whereas only 27.1% of those with secondary education reached this level. The 18–30 age group exhibited the highest capacity to receive health information (44.0%), with a significant decline in health literacy levels observed as age increased (p=0.014). Conclusion: Although the overall health literacy level among the adult population of Mongolia is generally sufÏcient, the capacity to access health information remains limited.