Relationship Between Health Literacy and Self-Management of Neurogenic Bladder in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Abstract

Background: Neurogenic bladder is a common complication arising as a consequence of spinal cord injury (SCI), which affects people in problematic self-care practices. Health literacy is critical for patients to understand and control their condition properly. Research exploring this link is yet to be conducted in Pakistan.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and self-management of neurogenic bladder among adult spinal cord injury patients at Saidu Teaching Hospital, Swat.
Methods: The correlational research design was employed, and 100 adult SCI patients with neurogenic bladder were purposively selected as participants. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire with three sections: < knowledge level, as demonstrated, the adapted Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), and the validated Self-Management Scale for Neurogenic Bladder. Participants were directly interviewed, and the gathered data were analyzed in SPSS version 25. The correlation between health literacy and self-management was formulated using Pearson's correlation test.
Results: The mean age across participants was 42.5 years (SD ± 11.6), and 63% were male. The participant's overall health literacy was 6.8 ± 1.6, with a mean self-management score of 7.1 ± 1.4. There was a positive and significant relationship between each facet of health literacy and self-management; overall health literacy demonstrated the highest correlation (r = 0.61, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The study results confirm that improved health literacy promotes better self-management of neurogenic bladder in persons with SCI. More emphasis on health literacy through specialized educational interventions may increase long-term outcomes for patients.