AUTHOR=Maricic Milena , Stojanovic Goran , Pazun Vanja , Stepović Milos , Djordjevic Ognjen , Macuzic Ivana Zivanovic , Milicic Vesna , Vucic Veroljub , Radevic Svetlana , Radovanovic Snezana 

TITLE=Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Reproductive Health Behaviors, and Health Literacy of Women in Serbia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.629051

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.629051

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=ABSTRACT

Introduction: Health literacy of women can significantly affect different aspects
of reproductive health. The aim of study is the assessments of relationship of women's
health literacy, socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive health behavior of
women in Serbia.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study on a random sample of women
aged 18 and over from the territory of three regions in Serbia, stratified according to age
groups, region and type of settlement. For testing the health literacy of women a
standardized European questionnaire of health literacy was used. Statistical analysis was
performed using standard software package SPSS, version 19.0. The minimum level of
significance was p <0.05.
Results: Results of univariate regression showed that the most important
predictors of the health literacy levels were - the type of settlement, education, financial
status, employment status and health status. Results of the multivariate regression
showed the following significant predictors: commitment to the chosen gynecologist,
use of contraception, knowledge of possible damages that be caused by the human
papillomavirus, knowledge of the existence of a vaccine against HPV and following of
topic related to the health.
Conclusion: Limited levels of health literacy were significantly higher among
middle-aged women, from rural areas, among those who rated their health as poor or
very poor, and who exhibited more negative patterns of reproductive health behavior,
indicating the need for implementation of prevention programs and strategies with the
aim of increasing the level of health literacy.