本研究目的一、探討一般健康識能與護具健康識能的相關性;二、瞭解護具相關健康因素與一般健康識能、護具健康識能之相關性,所欲探討的護具相關健康因素包含性別、年齡、教育程度、護具使用經驗、運動習慣和護具醫療用品的概念(是否為醫療用品)等;三、瞭解護具健康識能層級(包含綜合、功能性、互動性和批判性)之特徵。招募18歲以上成人,受試者自行填寫「中文健康識能評估量表」和「護具識能問卷」。本研究共165人參與,以高健康識能層級居多,占89.6%。研究結果顯示教育程度、運動習慣和醫療用品概念等與護具健康識能呈現顯著相關;無運動習慣因素與護具健康識能呈現正向相關;教育程度低於12年者和認為護具不是醫療用品等因素與護具健康識能呈現負向相關;批判性護具健康識能顯著低於綜合、功能性和互動性護具健康識能。本研究結論:目前國人在取得護具和使用護具的過程中,缺乏建構正確護具健康識能的機會,建議在大眾傳播媒體或護具銷售過程增加機會,尤其以教育程度低和視護具為非醫療用品族群為重要護具健康識能促進族群。
This study aimed to investigate (1) the relationship between general health literacy and brace health literacy, (2) brace-related health factors related to general health literacy and brace health literacy, including gender, age, educational level, brace usage experience, exercise habits, and medical appliance belief, and (3) characteristics of brace health literacy, including general knowledge and functional, interactive, and critical thinking skills. This study randomly recruited healthy adults (> 18 years of age). Participants (N = 165) with high health literacy (89.6%) completed two questionnaires, the Mandarin Health Literacy Scale and Brace Health Literacy Questionnaire. The factors that significantly predicted brace health literacy were found to be education, medical background, and exercise habits. Lack of exercise experience was positively correlated with brace health literacy, while education of less than 12 years and the belief that braces are not medical appliances was negatively related to brace health literacy. Among the three skills of brace health literacy, the scores of critical thinking were significantly lower than that of functional and interactive skills. These findings indicated that people in Taiwan are generally lack of sufficient knowledge to determine the suitability of braces during purchasing. Brace health literacy should be increased through mass communication or marketing processes, especially for populations with low education and the belief that braces are not medical appliances.