Bridging the Gap: Assessing Health Literacy Practices Among Nurses and Midwives in Qatar

Aim: This study aimed to assess the health literacy knowledge and experience among registered nurses and midwives and to determine the association between health literacy knowledge levels and selected demographic variables. Design and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used with a convenience sample of 290 registered nurses and midwives working in different units of a hospital in Qatar. Data collection involved a socio-demographic questionnaire and a validated health literacy knowledge and experience questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, independent-sample t-test , and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean knowledge score was inadequate overall at 3.2 ± 2.3 out of 10, also indicating variability in nurses' understanding of health literacy principles. Among socio-demographic variables, age significantly influenced knowledge levels, with nurses aged 51 and above having the highest mean score (4.9±1.7). Gender also showed a significant difference, with female nurses (4.2±1.8) scoring higher than males (3.5±1.7, p=0.011). Overall, the findings suggest that older nurses and females tend to have greater knowledge of health literacy, while education level and experience do not strongly influence these scores. Conclusion: The current study reported significant variability in nurses' understanding of health literacy principles in Qatar. The integration of health literacy related education and training for nurses is paramount to enhance their health literacy knowledge and practices, especially for younger and male nursing staff. Therefore, it is recommended to develop health literacy related curriculum and programs for nurses to enhance quality patient care and promising patient outcomes. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution