Health literacy specific to hemodialysis patients and associated factors: a cross-sectional study in Morocco.

Objective: The complexity of hemodialysis care imposes self-care requiring an adequate health literacy level adapted to the context of this disease. This study aimed to assess and determine the predictive factors of health literacy specific to hemodialysis patients in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco.

Method: This was a quantitative cross-sectional study of hemodialysis patients in public hemodialysis centers in the Marrakech-Safi region. The specific literacy of hemodialysis patients was assessed using a validated questionnaire consisting of 26 items and 7 sub-dimensions, which was either self-administered or administered by the investigator during the hemodialysis session. The predictive factors of health literacy in hemodialysis patients were identified using multiple linear regression.

Results: A total of 380 patients were included in the study. Women accounted for 58.2% of the patients. A percentage of 72.9% were under 65 years of age, 56.1% were illiterate, 61.8% were married, and 52.4% lived in urban areas.​​​​​​​ The mean duration of hemodialysis was 2.36 ± 0.53 years, 62.4% had hypertension, 57.4% had a high Interdialytic Weight, and 15.3% were diabetic. The mean total score was 10.46 ± 4.16 out of 26. Communicative literacy, critical literacy, and patient safety had the lowest mean scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that patients with higher education levels, those living in urban areas, single individuals, and those with longer hemodialysis experience were more likely to have a higher total score.

Conclusion: Considering​​​​​​​ the results of our study, most hemodialysis patients in the Marrakech-Safi region had inadequate literacy about their own health.