Mediating Role of Patient Safety Perception on the Relationship Between Health Literacy and Patient Experience Among Inpatients

This study investigates the complex relationships between health literacy, patient safety perception, and patient experience, which are critical indicators of healthcare quality. While previous research has focused primarily on large hospitals, this study fills a significant gap by focusing on inpatients in small- and medium-sized hospitals in South Korea. A key hypothesis was that patient safety perception would act as a crucial mediator in the relationship between health literacy and patient experience. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 300 inpatients across three small- and medium-sized hospitals. Data were collected using validated questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS and the PROCESS Macro (Model 4) to test for mediation effects. The results confirmed that health literacy significantly and positively impacts both patient safety perception and patient experience. These findings suggest that improving patient safety perception may enhance the positive impact of health literacy on patient experience. Healthcare providers should consider implementing educational and organizational strategies to strengthen patient health literacy and safety awareness. Such initiatives may contribute to more patient-centered care and better-quality outcomes.