健康知能被世界衛生組織(World Health Organization)定義為一種認知及社交技巧,會影響個人獲得、了解與運用健康資訊的動機與能力,以促進及保持健康。在資訊發達的現今社會,民眾雖可透過更種管道取得醫療資訊,改善醫療弱勢地位,但如何判斷正確健康知識並妥善運用,則是依靠個人健康知能程度以達到理解與合適的應用。在短暫門診時間中,病人希望從醫師口中獲得足夠的醫療資訊,則民眾健康知能的程度顯著影響病人接收醫療資訊及發問的能力。因著眼於健康知能對健康情況有關鍵性的影響,本研究之主要目的為探討台灣成人的感冒知能現況,與自我照護行為及醫療使用之相關性。
WHO defines health literacy as “health literacy represents the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health.” The information and communication technology nowadays is highly developed, people can get more medical information by multiple resources, but how to determine the correct health information and use properly, it is based on the individual degree of health literacy to understanding and implantation. The objects of this study are to investigate the context of health literacy of common colds and the relationship of health literacy and medical treatment utilization in Taipei and New Taipei City. This research utilizes a self-devised instrument to measure adult’s health literacy and medical utilization rates.