Background: Health literacy is a multidimensional concept that is considered a primary public health concern. This concept is often neglected in research, and the evidence regarding health literacy in college students is limited. The aim of this study was two-fold: to determine the needs and limitations of health literacy among college students and to explore the relationships among the nine dimensions of health literacy and sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, nationality, year of study, field of study, smoking status, history of chronic diseases, use of on-campus gym, and the intention to exercise on-campus. Methods: This study was conducted using a cross-sectional approach. A total of 520 college students participated in this study. The average age was 21.03 years (SD = 2.29), with 47.5% males and 52.5% females. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). In addition to descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and follow-up analyses were performed to explore any statistically significant mean differences among levels of health literacy and sociodemographic factors. Results: The levels of health literacy on the nine HLQ scales were lower than the levels reported in the literature. Multivariate analysis showed a significant effect of age, gender, smoking status, year of study, and field of study on the level of health literacy. Follow-up analyses revealed that female students, students from the health-related faculties, and those who do not smoke have higher levels of health literacy compared to their counterparts. A detailed comparison between the levels of the HLQ scales was made based on students’ demographic characteristics. The field of study had the most prominent effect on the level of college students’ health literacy; mean differences were statistically significant (p < .001), and effect sizes were large (ranging from .66 to 1.35 for the nine scales of the HLQ). Conclusion: College students’ health literacy is influenced by demographic characteristics. Such variations could amplify some of the existing health disparities. The implications of the findings on health, health promotion, and interprofessional education are discussed.

This study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness meditation on trait mindfulness, perceived stress, emotion regulation, and quality of life in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis. An experimental study with repeated measures design was conducted among a sample of 74 end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis between January and May 2021 in the dialysis center at Jahra hospital, Kuwait. The patients were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 37) and control groups (n = 37). The experimental group participated in 30-min mindfulness meditation sessions (three sessions a week for five weeks) held during their hemodialysis sessions; the participants in the control group were instructed to sit with their eyes closed and relaxed for 30 min three times a week for five weeks during hemodialysis sessions. The dependent variables of both groups were measured at baseline (T0), middle of intervention (T1), and end of intervention (T2) using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-36) questionnaire. The study was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov (Identifier: NCT05176730). The repeated measures ANOVA (within-subject) results for the experimental group showed that mindfulness meditation had significantly decreased perceived stress by the end of the intervention. Also, mindfulness meditation improved mindfulness, emotion regulation, and kidney disease-related quality of life in the experimental group, and this improvement occurred significantly at both T1 and T2. The repeated measures ANOVA (within and between-subject) results showed that the experimental group, as compared to the control group, had lower perceived stress, higher trait mindfulness, higher emotional regulation, and higher kidney disease-related quality of life over time. The positive findings of this study offer health policy-makers and hospital administrators a promising tool to use with patients undergoing hemodialysis as a way to manage stress and improve quality of life. However, this study should be replicated in multiple settings with follow-up assessments.

University students have a high prevalence rate of mental illness. Mental health services (MHS) are known to be effective but they are underutilized. To predict university students’ intention to seek help of MHS. A cross-sectional correlational design was used in this study. One hundred and thirty-four students from two public universities in Jordan were recruited, and were asked to complete a printed questionnaire. Using hierarchical regression modeling, five predictors were included to predict students’ intentions: attitudes toward MHS, subjective norm, perceived behavioral controllability, depression level, and depression literacy level. During a psychological stress, only 17 (13.6%) students reported seeking help of MHS as a possible option for them. Students had a very low depression literacy level, and 77 (57.5%) had a mild to moderate level of depression. Three regression steps were created. All steps were statistically significant, and all predictors had a significant effect except depression literacy level in the third step. The first step, which included three predictors (attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral controllability), accounted for 23.5% of explained variance. Attitudes toward MHS were the strongest predictor in all steps. Conducting campaigns about mental illness and the effectiveness of MHS may improve students’ literacy levels, and may improve MHS utilization rate.

Health literacy plays a key role in empowering individuals and enabling them to make health-related decisions. Despite the advances in health literacy research, there are gaps in the literature that require further inquiry, and establishing comprehensive and valid measurements is one of them. Thus, this research was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the Arabic Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), including the reliability, validity, and measurement invariances of the nine HLQ scales. A cross-sectional design was used in this study. A sample of university students (N = 1011) was recruited, the mean of age was 21.1 years old (SD = 2.28). The Arabic HLQ and a demographics questionnaire were completed by the participants. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and measurement invariances were performed for each HLQ scale. The values of Cronbach's α and composite reliability were above .70 for all HLQ scales. The CFA analyses showed that all HLQ scales meet the criteria that were set a priori: RMSEA ≤.07, CFI ≥.95, and Chisq/df < 5. In addition, all standardized factor loadings were above .50. Regarding the measurement invariance, the results supported the equal form measurement invariance for all HLQ scales. The equality of factor loadings measurement invariance across gender was also supported for all HLQ scales. Measurement invariance of factor loadings and equality of indicator intercepts was partially supported. These results show that the internal consistency, convergence, and factor structure of the HLQ are all supported. The Arabic HLQ is a reliable, valid tool to measure health literacy among Arabic-speaking populations.

Background: The literature regarding the effect of health literacy on college students’ psychological health and quality of life is scarce. The purpose of conducting this cross-sectional study was to examine the effect of health literacy on certain psychological disturbances (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity) and quality of life of college students. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative design was utilized in this study. A total of 310 four-year college students participated in this study. The students completed a demographics questionnaire as well as already established and validated measures of health literacy, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, impulsivity, and quality of life. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the data to explore the effect of health literacy on the psychological disturbances and quality of life. Results: The results showed that health literacy has a negative effect on three psychological disturbances commonly experienced by college students; perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity. In addition, the effect of health literacy on the quality of life was positive. Conclusion: The proposed conceptual model was supported. College students’ counseling staff could use the findings to better address students’ needs pertinent to psychological health and quality of life. Future research is warranted to develop a more comprehensive model that explains the role of health literacy in determining college students’ psychological health and quality of life.