Understanding the Impact of Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy on Arthritis Prevention Behaviors Among Middle-Aged Women in Borazjan, South of Iran

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint condition that significantly reduces individuals’ quality of life. Effective preventive behaviors can help mitigate the occurrence of OA, and understanding the factors influencing these behaviors is crucial. Health literacy has been identified as a significant factor affecting various health outcomes; however, limited information is available regarding its association with arthritis prevention behaviors. This study aimed to assess the predictive role of functional, communicative, and critical health literacy in adopting arthritis prevention behaviors among middle-aged women. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2023 on a randomly selected sample of 519 women aged 30-59 years, affiliated with the Borazjan Comprehensive Healthcare Center. Data were collected using the Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy (FCCHL) questionnaire and an OA preventive behaviors survey. Data were analyzed using R version 3.3.4 through multiple regression and descriptive statistical methods. Furthermore, a significant level of P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the participants was 41.85±8.01 years, ranging from 30 to 59 years. Among the health literacy dimensions, the highest and lowest average scores were assigned to critical and functional dimensions, respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed that among the cognitive variables, joint pain (P=0.001, β=0.106), and among the domains of health literacy, critical health literacy (P<0.001, β=0.258) were significant predictors of OA preventive behaviors. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering critical health literacy levels among women and the intensity of joint pain when designing educational programs for preventing OA among middle-aged women. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to enhance health literacy and alleviate joint pain to promote effective arthritis prevention behaviors.