Health literacy in adolescents with chronic disease during transition

Health Care Transitions Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-08 DOI:10.1016/j.hctj.2026.100135

Noriko Ozawa PhD, RN , Taiga Shibayama PhD, RN , Noriko Hiraga PhD, RN , Kayuri Furuya DNSc, RN

{"title":"Health literacy in adolescents with chronic disease during transition","authors":"Noriko Ozawa PhD, RN , Taiga Shibayama PhD, RN , Noriko Hiraga PhD, RN , Kayuri Furuya DNSc, RN","doi":"10.1016/j.hctj.2026.100135","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The transition from pediatric to adult-oriented healthcare is a major challenge, and adequate health literacy is essential for achieving a smooth transition. However, knowledge is scant regarding adolescents’ health literacy during this period, and research that includes both adolescents and their parents remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study clarified the health literacy of adolescents with chronic illnesses and their parents and examined differences between adolescents’ self-assessments and parents’ evaluations.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 111 adolescent–parent dyads from two hospitals in Japan. The Japanese version of the 14-item Health Literacy Scale (HLS-14) assessed functional, communicative, and critical literacy. Parents also evaluated their adolescents’ literacy. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations, paired t-tests, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Adolescents showed moderate literacy levels across domains (functional: M=21.18/25; communicative: M=14.6/25; critical: M=13.1/20). Functional literacy developed independently, while communicative and critical literacy were strongly correlated. Parents demonstrated lower literacy than general adult norms, particularly in communicative and critical domains. Agreement between parent ratings and adolescents’ self-reports was fair (ICC=0.35–0.42), indicating limited correspondence.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Domain-specific strategies are needed to foster adolescent health literacy. Communicative and critical literacy require intentional educational support beyond basic reading and writing. Given parents’ relatively low literacy, transition programs should incorporate parent-focused resources. Improving health literacy in both adolescents and their parents may support a smoother transition to adult-oriented care and promote independent disease management; however, further research is needed to better understand and support this process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100602,"journal":{"name":"Health Care Transitions","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100135"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Care Transitions","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923226000085","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/4/8 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The transition from pediatric to adult-oriented healthcare is a major challenge, and adequate health literacy is essential for achieving a smooth transition. However, knowledge is scant regarding adolescents’ health literacy during this period, and research that includes both adolescents and their parents remains limited.

Objective

This study clarified the health literacy of adolescents with chronic illnesses and their parents and examined differences between adolescents’ self-assessments and parents’ evaluations.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 111 adolescent–parent dyads from two hospitals in Japan. The Japanese version of the 14-item Health Literacy Scale (HLS-14) assessed functional, communicative, and critical literacy. Parents also evaluated their adolescents’ literacy. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations, paired t-tests, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used.

Findings

Adolescents showed moderate literacy levels across domains (functional: M=21.18/25; communicative: M=14.6/25; critical: M=13.1/20). Functional literacy developed independently, while communicative and critical literacy were strongly correlated. Parents demonstrated lower literacy than general adult norms, particularly in communicative and critical domains. Agreement between parent ratings and adolescents’ self-reports was fair (ICC=0.35–0.42), indicating limited correspondence.

Conclusion

Domain-specific strategies are needed to foster adolescent health literacy. Communicative and critical literacy require intentional educational support beyond basic reading and writing. Given parents’ relatively low literacy, transition programs should incorporate parent-focused resources. Improving health literacy in both adolescents and their parents may support a smoother transition to adult-oriented care and promote independent disease management; however, further research is needed to better understand and support this process.

查看原文本刊更多论文

在过渡时期患有慢性病的青少年的健康素养

从儿科向成人导向的医疗保健过渡是一项重大挑战，充分的健康素养对于实现平稳过渡至关重要。然而，在这一时期，关于青少年健康素养的知识很少，包括青少年及其父母的研究仍然有限。目的了解慢性疾病青少年及其父母的健康素养状况，探讨青少年自我评价与父母评价的差异。方法对日本两所医院的111对青少年父母进行横断面调查。日本版的14项健康素养量表（HLS-14）评估了功能性、交际性和批判性素养。家长们还评估了青少年的读写能力。使用描述性统计、Pearson相关、配对t检验和类内相关系数（ICC）。青少年在各领域的读写水平均为中等水平（功能性：M=21.18/25；交际性：M=14.6/25；批判性：M=13.1/20）。功能性读写能力是独立发展的，而交际性读写能力和批判性读写能力是密切相关的。父母表现出比一般成年人更低的文化水平，特别是在交际和批评领域。父母评价与青少年自我报告之间的一致性是公平的（ICC= 0.35-0.42），表明相关性有限。结论培养青少年健康素养需要有针对性的策略。交际性和批判性素养需要在基本阅读和写作之外的有意识的教育支持。鉴于父母的文化水平相对较低，过渡计划应纳入以父母为中心的资源。提高青少年及其父母的卫生知识水平，可能有助于更顺利地过渡到面向成人的护理，并促进独立的疾病管理；然而，需要进一步的研究来更好地理解和支持这一过程。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Health Care Transitions

自引率

0.00%

发文量