Health Literacy and Basic First Aid Knowledge among Driver’s License Applicants: a Cross-Sectional Study in Türkiye
Author :
Abstract
Keywords
Abstract
Aim: Traffic accidents are a major public health problem worldwide, and first aid competence of drivers plays a critical role in reducing morbidity and mortality. Health literacy (HL) has been shown to influence health outcomes, but its relationship with first aid knowledge remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between health literacy and first aid knowledge among driver’s license applicants in Turkey.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between June and November 2023 at the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic of Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul. A total of 138 applicants aged 18–60 years who sought a medical report for a driver’s license were included. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, a 20-item First Aid Knowledge Questionnaire, and the 12-item Health Literacy Scale–Short Form (HLS-SF). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA with post-hoc tests were applied (p<0.05 considered significant).
Results: The mean age of participants was 30.4±10.6 years; 58.7% were female. The mean first aid knowledge score was 11.1±3.5, indicating low-to-moderate knowledge, while the mean HLS-SF index score was 32.1±8.9, corresponding to a moderate level of health literacy. No significant correlation was found between health literacy and first aid knowledge (r=0.150, p=0.080). However, higher educational attainment (p=0.002), previous first aid experience (p<0.05), and greater self-confidence (p<0.05) were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. Notably, self-confidence was also significantly associated with higher HL scores.
Conclusions: Driver’s license applicants demonstrated moderate health literacy but relatively low first aid knowledge. Although no direct correlation was observed between the two constructs, education, prior first aid experience, and self-confidence were key determinants of better outcomes. Integrating self-efficacy-focused, simulation-based training into driver education programs could improve both first aid competence and health literacy, contributing to enhanced traffic safety and public health.
