Health literacy in the first stage of Chronic Kidney

Abstract

The patients with the first stage of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) that take the appropriate care will delay the effects of the disease. The health literacy will lead them to the ways in adjusting their behaviors and delay the development of kidney degeneration. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the health literacy of the patients with the first stage of CKD. The samples included 53 patients with the first stage of CKD who visited the Health Promoting Hospital in Pathum sub-district, Mueang district, Ubon Ratchathani province. The data were collected through the health literacy questionnaires. The coefficient of reliability is 0.85 and for the statistics used in the data analysis, they were frequency, percentage, and standard deviation. The study has revealed that, the overall levels of health literacy included three stages as follows: high 56.60%, medium 32.10%, and low 11.30%. Considering the high level of health literacy in each dimension, the knowledge and understanding about the disease’s initial phase was 92.45 %. Also, the medium literacy reflected 77.46%, 75.27% of the decision, 45.28% of communication, 60.38% of access, and 66.04% of management. The study showed that although the samples had a high level of health literacy, the communication of health literacy was only 50 percentages at high level. The study resulted in basic information to develop the appropriate programs of health literacy and to be as a pathway for the patients with the first stage of CKD, relating to their needs and reducing the development of their kidney deterioration in the first stage of CKD.