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Malaysian Health Literacy: Scorecard Performance from a National Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Norrafizah Jaafar

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Komathi Perialathan

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Manimaran Krishnan

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Nurashma Juatan

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Masitah Ahmad

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Teresa Yong Sui Mien

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Kamarul Zaman Salleh

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Affendi Isa

    (Health Education Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya 62590, Malaysia)

  • Suraiya Syed Mohamed

    (Health Education Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya 62590, Malaysia)

  • Nor Hanizah Abu Hanit

    (Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Wan Shakira Rodzlan Hasani

    (Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

  • Emma Mirza Wati Mohamad

    (Centre for Research in Media and Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Mohammad Zabri Johari

    (Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Malaysia)

Abstract

Health literacy is an indicator of a society’s ability to make better health judgements for themselves and the people around them. This study investigated the prevalence of health literacy among Malaysian adults and provided an overall picture of the society’s current health literacy status, which has not been previously assessed. The study also highlighted socio-demographic markers of communities with limited health literacy that may warrant future intervention. A population-based self-administered survey using the Health Literacy Survey Malaysian Questionnaire18 (HLS-M-Q18) instrument was conducted as part of the National Health Morbidity Survey 2019 in Malaysia. The nationwide survey utilized a two-staged stratified random sampling method. A sample of 9478 individuals aged 18 and above, drawn from the living quarter list, participated in the study. The health literacy score was divided into three levels; limited, sufficient, and excellent. Findings showed a majority of the Malaysian population had a sufficient health literacy level in all three domains—healthcare, diseases prevention and health promotion (49.1%, 44.2%, and 47.5%, respectively)—albeit leaning towards the lower end of the category with an average score of 35.5. The limited health literacy groups were prevalent among respondents with older age (68%), lower education level (64.8%), and lower household income (49.5%). The overall health literacy status for Malaysia was categorized at a lower sufficiency level. Future health literacy improvements should focus on communities with a limited health literacy level to improve the overall score.

Suggested Citation

  • Norrafizah Jaafar & Komathi Perialathan & Manimaran Krishnan & Nurashma Juatan & Masitah Ahmad & Teresa Yong Sui Mien & Kamarul Zaman Salleh & Affendi Isa & Suraiya Syed Mohamed & Nor Hanizah Abu Hani, 2021. "Malaysian Health Literacy: Scorecard Performance from a National Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5813-:d:564414
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lindsay C. Kobayashi & Jane Wardle & Michael S. Wolf & Christian von Wagner, 2016. "Aging and Functional Health Literacy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 71(3), pages 445-457.
    2. Iris Feinberg & Jan Frijters & Vicki Johnson-Lawrence & Daphne Greenberg & Elena Nightingale & Chelsea Moodie, 2016. "Examining Associations between Health Information Seeking Behavior and Adult Education Status in the U.S.: An Analysis of the 2012 PIAAC Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, February.
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    2. Yi-Hui Lee & Lian-Hua Huang & Su-Hui Chen & Jung-Hua Shao & Chyong-Huey Lai & Nan-Ping Yang, 2021. "Effects of Mobile Application Program (App)-Assisted Health Education on Preventive Behaviors and Cancer Literacy among Women with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Anthony Faiola & Maged N. Kamel Boulos & Salman Bin Naeem & Aziz ur-Rehman, 2022. "Integrating Social and Family Support as a Measure of Health Outcomes: Validity Implications from the Integrated Model of Health Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.

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