02489nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653002000058653001200078653001900090100001400109700001900123700001400142700001300156700001200169700001600181700001300197245010700210856015300317300000900470520175400479022001402233       2024                            d  bElsevier BV10aHealth Literacy10aEcuador10aChagas disease1 aCaridi TL1 aMariño-Polo F1 aMingus AM1 aFarra CG1 aMemon A1 aGrijalva MJ1 aBates BR00aHealth literacy & Chagas disease knowledge: A cross-sectional study in Southern Loja Province, Ecuador  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000359/pdfft?md5=24981601be652c158072d7d38e9c12f1&pid=1-s2.0-S2772628224000359-main.pdf  a1-253 a<p id="st0010"><strong>Objective</strong>: Health literacy is associated with many patient outcomes. This study sought to determine the association between a person's level of health literacy and their knowledge about Chagas disease.</p>

<p id="st0015"><strong>Methods</strong>: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with people living in two counties in rural Loja Province, Ecuador who attended a mobile health clinic. The communities in which the study was conducted are at high risk of Chagas disease and have limited access to both health care and educational resources. The Spanish version of Short Assessment for Health Literacy measured health literacy. The Chagas Disease Knowledge questionnaire measured knowledge of Chagas disease.&nbsp;<em>t</em>-tests and correlational analysis were used to assess associations.</p>

<p id="st0020"><strong>Results</strong>: Overall 85 people participated in this study. A majority of the respondents were female (64.1%), and a plurality were married (40.7%) and had education less than secondary (40.7%). The average age of the sample was 44.31 ± 18.85. Health literacy levels and Chagas disease knowledge in the communities were low. About half of people had inadequate health literacy. No association between health literacy and Chagas knowledge was found.</p>

<p id="st0025"><strong>Conclusion</strong>: Health literacy levels and Chagas disease knowledge were not found to be correlated. Explanations for the lack of association may include common causes of inadequate investment in Chagas disease education as well as neglect of health systems in rural Ecuador. Efforts to improve both health literacy and Chagas disease knowledge in poorer, rural areas of Ecuador are needed.</p>
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