Navigational and vaccination literacy among students in Karaganda city

Objective . To assess the levels of navigational and vaccination literacy among students of three universities in Karaganda city and to identify factors influencing these indicators. Materials and Methods . The cross-sectional study involved 1,327 students from Buketov Karaganda University, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, and Karaganda Medical University. International questionnaires HLS19-NAV and HLS19-VAC, translated into Russian and Kazakh and validated in Kazakhstan, were used. Collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and self-assessed health were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression. Results . The average navigational literacy score among all respondents was 87.18±14.16 (excellent level), and the average vaccination literacy score was 82.6±20.2 (good level). The highest navigational and vaccination literacy scores were identified among students of medical specialties. Respondents previously trained in basic life support skills had significantly higher levels of navigational and vaccination literacy (p<0.001). Financial accessibility of medications and medical services also positively correlated with literacy indicators (p<0.05). However, students who consumed alcohol or had chronic diseases exhibited lower navigational literacy and/or vaccination literacy scores. Conclusions . The average levels of navigational and vaccination literacy were higher among students of medical specialties, and both the year of study and the presence of basic life support skills positively correlated with literacy levels. According to multiple linear regression results, factors statistically significantly influencing the increase of navigational and vaccination literacy included: urban residential area, possession of basic medical assistance skills, and higher socio-economic status. Factors leading to the decrease in navigational and vaccination literacy included: family health problems, difficulty in accessing medical services, and chronic diseases.