Abstract
Background: Health literacy (HL) is a multidimensional concept that has become essential for the effective management of chronic diseases. This study aimed to assess the HL of hypertensive patients attending the cardiology outpatient clinic at Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital (CHU-YO), Burkina Faso, to propose relevant health promotion interventions.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to September 2024 on 359 hypertensive outpatients in the cardiology department of CHU-YO. HL levels were measured using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ).
Results: A total of 359 hypertensive patients with a mean age of 58.12±12.61 years were included. The nine HLQ dimensions were used to assess levels of HL. The lowest scores were found in the dimensions related to the ability to find and evaluate health information, while the highest scores were recorded for social support for health and active engagement with health professionals. A multivariate exploratory cluster analysis method identified LS profiles labeled A to H. Clusters B and G had the lowest HL levels and the greatest health-related challenges, while clusters A, C, F, and H exhibited the highest HL levels.
Conclusion: The ability to find and evaluate health information depends primarily on education level and sources of information. Interventions targeting these two areas are crucial to improve the HL of hypertensive patients. In addition, to reduce inequalities in the care of chronically ill individuals and to inform effective health promotion interventions, cluster analysis is needed to select vulnerable groups.