Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Health Literacy: A Cross-Country Comparative Study

Abstract This study examines nursing students' perceptions of health literacy and explores the impact of educational and cultural differences across Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Health literacy is a critical component of effective healthcare, particularly for nurses, who serve as key sources of health information for patients. Understanding nursing students' views on health literacy can provide valuable insights for improving educational curricula. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 140 second-year nursing students from the three countries using a custom-designed questionnaire. The data were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn’s post hoc test to identify differences in perceptions and understanding. The findings revealed that Polish students demonstrated the highest familiarity with health literacy, followed by Czech and Slovak students. Notable differences emerged in the perceived public health literacy across the three countries. Czech students rated public comprehension the highest, which may reflect the effectiveness of national health literacy initiatives. In contrast, Slovak and Polish students highlighted several areas needing improvement, particularly in managing chronic conditions and understanding treatment side effects. These results underscore the importance of integrating tailored health literacy education into nursing curricula to address regional disparities. Strengthening nursing students’ competencies in this area can contribute to improved patient outcomes and overall public health.