Analysis of the Relationship between Health Literacy and the Use of Social Networks Among Hospital Employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background: Nowadays, promoting employees’ health is a basic requirement in the health field. Health literacy is vital for improving public health. It affects how people make health decisions. This study aimed to explore the link between health literacy and social network use among hospital employees at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: A survey of 150 hospital employees at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences was done. It was an analytical cross-sectional study. The data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire. In this study, we collected personal information, measured health literacy, and assessed social media use. The data was analyzed with SPSS version 16.0. We used descriptive statistics such as frequency and mean to analyze the data. We also used the Pearson correlation coefficient test. Results: The findings showed that the mean age of the participants was 40.6±5.7 years, and 76% of the participants were female. The majority of them (85%) had a bachelor’s degree. Their mean health literacy score was 129.8±20.5, and their mean score of social media use was 128.6±18.6. According to the results, the level of health literacy and social media use were above average, and they had a significant direct relationship. The findings showed that the domains of access, understanding, and decision-making in health literacy have a direct and significant relationship with the use of social media. Conclusion: This study shows that we can take advantage of the widespread use of social networks and take effective measures to improve health literacy and related behaviors.