A recent study focused on health literacy and its impact on medication adherence and quality of life in individuals with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services to make informed decisions about one’s health. The study found that inadequate health literacy was common, but those with higher health literacy had better medication adherence and quality of life.
The study included 48 participants with cSLE between the ages of 10 and 24. Researchers used two common health literacy measurement tools, the Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) and Newest Vital Sign (NVS), to assess participants’ health literacy. They also gathered information on medication adherence, quality of life, and preferences for receiving educational information about their diagnosis and medications.
Results showed that two-thirds of participants (67%) had inadequate health literacy according to the BHLS, and almost half (42%) had inadequate health literacy according to the NVS. However, those with higher BHLS scores were more likely to have better medication adherence and quality of life.
Children and teenagers with cSLE often experience more severe symptoms and long-term effects compared to adults. The study suggests that improving health literacy in this population could lead to better outcomes. Further research and attention to health literacy could help improve the management of cSLE in young individuals.