Health literacy and modifiable risk factors of a stroke

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in European countries. Prevention and the associated health literacy are among the effective tools for reducing the incidence of this disease and serve to reduce its consequences. Goal: To examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors of health literacy and modifiable risk factors in connection with ischemic stroke. Methods: A quantitative survey strategy. The research was conducted using the technique of a standardized controlled interview between the interviewer and the respondent. The research group included 1,004 citizens. A combination of a standardized overall health literacy questionnaire (HLSQ-16) and a non-standardized stroke prevention questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: Most citizens of the Czech Republic (58.5%) have sufficient health literacy. Problematic health literacy is reported by 29.2% of respondents. The remaining 13.3% of respondents have inadequate health literacy. Nevertheless, the results show that a large part of the population has problematic health literacy in areas such as good lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption and, last but not least, physical activity. Conclusions: Recognition of these factors can then be suitable for preventive measures. Effective interventions focused directly on risk factors will enable a change in the thinking and attitudes of risky groups of the population.