Examination of the Relationship Between Health Literacy and Health Care System Distrust

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to examine the relationship between individuals' distrust of the health care system and their health literacy levels and how demographic characteristics affect their level of distrust.
 Materials and Methods: The research was conducted with 450 people over 18 living in the Selcuklu, Meram, and Karatay districts of the central districts of Konya province. A 32-question survey consisting of demographic questions, the Health Literacy Scale (HLS), and the Health Care System Distrust Scale (HCSD) was applied to the participants.
 Results: According to the Pearson's correlation test conducted in the research, a negatively weak significant relationship was found between health literacy and distrust of health care systems, which associated increased health literacy with lower distrust. According to the regression analysis, there was a statistically significant relationship between health literacy and distrust of health care systems. Accordingly, 4.4% of the variance in distrust of health care systems was explained by health literacy (R2=0,044).
 Result: The educational and income status positively affect individuals' level of health literacy. As health literacy level increases, trust in health care systems also increases. For trust to be established between health service providers and consumers, actions should be taken to improve their level of health literacy.