The effect of health literacy on attitudes toward substance use

This cross-sectional study (November - December 2024) examined whether health literacy predicts adults' attitudes toward substance use in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye. Data were collected from 400 participants (≥18 years) using convenience sampling. Participants completed a Personal Information Form, the Health Literacy Scale, and the Substance Abuse Attitude Scale, which assesses positive/negative attitudes (not substance use behavior or addiction severity). Analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests/ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression (IBM SPSS 26). Health literacy was negatively associated with substance use attitudes (<i>r</i> = -0.304, <i>p</i> < .001), indicating that higher levels of health literacy relate to more negative attitudes toward substance use. Regression results confirmed health literacy as a significant predictor (β = -0.304, <i>p</i> < .001). Among health literacy dimensions, information evaluation showed the strongest negative association with substance use attitudes, whereas information comprehension was not significant. These findings suggest that competencies related to accessing, appraising, and applying health information may shape attitudes toward substance use and may be leveraged in educational and community interventions to strengthen risk perception and promote more cautious, informed attitudes.