The relationship between risk and prevention awareness of infectious diseases and health literacy among prisoners

This study aimed to explore the intricate relationship between the health literacy and the awareness of risks and prevention awareness of infection disease among prisoners. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 1350 prisoners at an L Type Closed Penal Execution Institution in Turkey, using comprehensive criteria to ensure the inclusion of a diverse participant pool. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews using the “personal information form,” “health literacy scale (HLS),” and “communicable diseases risk awareness and protection Scale (CDRAPS).” Both scales exhibited high reliability. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and linear regression, were conducted to evaluate the relationships between the dimensions of these scales. The study was completed with 1031 prisoners. The participants' mean age was 38.65 with a majority being single (69.2%) and high school graduates (46.3%). A weak positive correlation (r = 0.448, P = 0.000) was observed between the CDRAPS (mean score 135.98 ± 24.00) and the HLS (mean score 89.85 ± 22.30), indicating health literacy explained a 20% variance in communicable diseases risk awareness and prevention. Furthermore, a significant relationship was established considering multiple variables including age, marital and educational status, family health personnel presence, smoking and alcohol use, and comorbidities, showing a combined effect on disease risk awareness and prevention (R2 = 0.203, β = 0.458, P = 0.000). These findings highlight the importance for governments and policy makers to implement preventive and educational programs that are focused on public health, aiming to increase prisoners' health literacy and awareness of infectious diseases.