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The Role of Health Literacy in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2026 | Viewed by 129

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rakale C. Quarells

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Interests: community-based participatory research; chronic disease prevention; chronic disease self-management; health education; community engagement
Prof. Dr. Rhonda Holliday

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Interests: HIV prevention; substance use prevention; health disparities; health equity; people involved in the criminal justice system; community based participatory research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the critical role of health literacy in health promotion and disease prevention. Health literacy, defined as the ability to access, understand, and use health-related information, is a key determinant of individual and community health outcomes. As healthcare systems evolve, fostering health literacy becomes essential in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Articles in this collection highlight the intersection of health literacy with various health promotion initiatives, examining how improving the former can lead to better disease prevention practices, adherence to medical advice, and overall health management. This Special Issue also addresses the challenges faced by vulnerable populations who may have limited health literacy, as well as the strategies employed to overcome these barriers through education, communication, and technology. By focusing on evidence-based approaches and innovative interventions, this collection emphasizes the importance of integrating health literacy into public health frameworks and policies. Through collaboration across sectors, promoting health literacy can significantly contribute to reducing health disparities and improving public health outcomes globally.

Prof. Dr. Rakale C. Quarells
Prof. Dr. Rhonda C. Holliday
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • health literacy
  • health communication
  • health education
  • patient empowerment
  • community engagement
  • health promotion
  • health outcomes
  • disease prevention

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
The Relationship Between Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours and Levels of Health Literacy of University Students in Mogadishu, Somalia
by Simay Akyuz, Elif Donmez, Betülay Kılıç, Nasra Alı Jama and Hasan Hüseyin Eker
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081259 - 11 Aug 2025
Abstract
According to the WHO, health problems in Somalia are reported to be at an alarming level today and in the future. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviours and the levels of health literacy of [...] Read more.
According to the WHO, health problems in Somalia are reported to be at an alarming level today and in the future. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviours and the levels of health literacy of university students receiving health sciences education in Mogadishu, Somalia. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2024 in a university delivering education in Turkish in Mogadishu. The study sample comprised 219 health sciences students. The data collection tools used were a demographic data form, the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Scale II (HLBS-II) and the Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Scale (HLS-EU-TR). Results: A total of 219 students participated, with 86.3% identifying as female and 13.7% as male, and the average age was 20.91 ± 2.2 years. The mean of the total scores obtained for the HLBS II was found to be 127.54 ± 23.46 and the mean of the total scores obtained for HLS-EU-TR was 30.33 ± 8.17, while scores across all dimensions of the HLS-EU-TR indicated a problematic−borderline level. Analysis showed that with each advancing year of study, there was a statistically significant increase in health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition and total HLBS scores (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between healthy lifestyle behaviours and HLS-EU-TR total scores, with correlation coefficients as follows: r = 0.230, p = 0.001; r = 0.215, p = 0.001; r = 0.193, p = 0.004; r = 0.308, p < 0.001; r = 0.247, p < 0.001; r = 0.284, p < 0.001; r = 0.313, p < 0.001. Furthermore, 13.1% of the change in healthy lifestyle behaviours was explained by the HLS-EU-TR Treatment and Services subdimension and grade level (R2 = 0.131). The HLS-EU-TR Treatment and Services subdimension and grade level positively contributed to the level of healthy lifestyle behaviours (ß = 0.373; ß = 0.164). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the identification of a positive correlation between health literacy and healthy lifestyle behaviours indicates that health literacy significantly influences healthy lifestyle choices. This correlation suggests that as students progress through their educational journey, their knowledge and behaviours toward health improve, highlighting that increased educational attainment equips individuals with the skills necessary to engage more effectively in the healthcare system and to translate acquired knowledge into behaviour. These findings underscore the critical role of ongoing health education initiated from an early age. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Health Literacy in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention)
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