HEALTH LITERACY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN TRANSITION COUNTRIES - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Introduction: Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Croatia to the north, south, and west and Serbia and Montenegro to the east. The research was conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically in the Una-Sana Canton within the camps. Objective: The main objective of the research was to investigate the level of health literacy of migrants and refugees in transition countries with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subjects and methods: The research was conducted among migrants and refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, within the Borići and Lipa temporary reception centers in the Una-Sana Canton during June 2022. Inclusion criteria are migrant or refugee status at the time of the research. As a research instrument, a questionnaire prepared based on literature and available questionnaires dealing with similar topics was used. The research was conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina among 120 adult refugees and migrants who speak Arabic, Farsi, Bosnian, English and Urdu, and the questionnaire was translated into these languages. Results: This research shows that the level of health literacy among migrants and refugees does not depend on the level of education. Furthermore, there is no significant difference between the more and less educated in understanding the doctor's instructions. The data we obtained through the obtained results do not prove that health literacy varies from the country of origin to the country of transition. This study has a limited sample size so reading the findings of this sample should be approached with caution. Conclusion: There is no statistically significant difference between these two groups, which gives us the conclusion that the level of health literacy does not change on the way from the country of origin to the country of transit. This research is of great importance both for the countries of destination of the respondents and for the countries of transit, since migrants and refugees are part of the public health of the country in which they are located. In accordance with the changes within the transitioncountries from which refugees and migrants come, more similar studies need to be conducted in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of health literacy. Keywords: health literacy, migrants, refugees, transition countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina