THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH PROMOTING LIFESTYLE AND SCHOOL SPORTS PARTICIPATION AMONG ADOLESCENTS

The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between perceived health literacy, health-promoting lifestyle and participation in school sports among adolescents. The data was obtained using a questionnaire consisting of three sections respectively as student information form including the participant demographics, the Turkish Version of Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC-T) scale for measuring the subjective health literacy and the Turkish Version of Adolescent Lifestyle Profile (ALP-T) scale for measuring health-promoting lifestyle of students. The study was conducted in ten junior high schools located in Osmaniye Province of Turkey targeting students between ages 11 to 14 and from 5th grade to 8th grade. School sports participation status of students and its relationship between health literacy and lifestyle profiles are investigated based on the demographics of students. A Chi-square test with cross-tabulation is conducted in order to test the association between participation in school sports, student demographics, health literacy, health responsibility, physical activity and positive life perspective. Multiple logistic regression is also performed in order to determine the four independent variables (health responsibility, physical activity, positive life perspective and health literacy) from ALP-T and HLSAC-T scale affecting the participation of students to school sports. The results showed that the perceived health literacy levels of students were higher among the students that participate in school sports. From the sports participation point of view, low health responsibility and high positive life perspective levels were determinative on school sports participation.