Ortaokul öğrencilerinin genel sağlık durumunun ve sağlık okuryazarlık düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the health of fifth-grade students in a secondary school in Istanbul through health screenings and to determine their health literacy levels. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 106 fifth grade students in a middle school in the Anatolian side of Istanbul between 14 October and 22 November 2024, Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Health Literacy Scale for School-Aged Children (HLSAC), and health screenings (height and weight measurement, blood pressure measurement, vision screening, and oral health screening). Findings: The mean age of the students was 10.18±0.46 years, and 50.9% were male. It was found that 11.3% of the students were very weak, 12.3% were weak, 12,3% were overweight and 13.2% were obese. It was determined that 35.8% of the students were at risk of vision impairment, 58.5% had dental cavities, and 41.5% had high systolic or diastolic blood pressure. According to the HLSAC (30.16±5.17), 20.8% of the students had low health literacy, 63,2% had moderate health literacy and 16% had high health literacy. Conclusion: The study revealed that middle school students have problems such as weakness, overweight or obesity, risk of visual acuity, risk of hypertension, and oral and dental health problems, and that the majority of students have moderate health literacy. Organising regular health screenings and health education programmes in schools is important for the early identification of students' health problems and risk situations, allowing for timely intervention and promoting the development of their health literacy.