Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
2
General practitioner, Razi hospital, Baneh, Kurdistan university of medical Scienes, Sanandaj, Iran
3
Associate Professor in Epidemiology, Liver and Digestive Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
4
epartment of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objectives: ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder affecting attention, activity levels, and impulse control, with a global prevalence of about 5% in children. In Iran, rates are similar, with the combined subtype being most common. ADHD impacts children's emotional and social development and places strain on families. Parental health literacy is essential for managing symptoms and improving outcomes; however, research on this topic especially among parents of preschool-aged children in Iran is limited. This study assessed the health literacy of parents whose preschool-aged children were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examined its association with ADHD in their children during 2022 in Sanandaj.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study assessed parental health literacy using the “Health Literacy of Parents of Preschool Children” questionnaire, a researcher-developed instrument. Demographic information (including age, gender, education level, and employment status) was collected using a demographic questionnaire reviewed and approved by subject-matter experts. All parents of children diagnosed with ADHD were included through census sampling. Data were analyzed in Stata v.14 using independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA; non-parametric equivalents (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests) were applied when normality assumptions were unmet. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered.
Results: Among participants, 67.3% were female and 32.7% male, with a mean age of 34.94 ± 5.07 years. The overall mean parental health literacy score was 19.53 ± 4.07. Nutrition subscale scores were significantly higher among parents of boys (p < 0.05). Having a childcare book at home was significantly associated with both the developmental subscale and total literacy score (p < 0.05). Parental education level showed significant relationships with nutrition, development, and numeracy subscales, as well as total literacy score (p < 0.05). All subscales except development, along with total literacy score, were significantly associated with parental occupation (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Higher socioeconomic status and parental education were linked to increased health literacy. Owning childcare books and seeking accurate health information reflected greater parental responsibility and literacy.
Keywords
Acknowledgements: We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all individuals who contributed to the completion of this study.
Availability of Data and Materials: The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Conflicts of interest: The authors state that there is no conflict of interest in the present study.
Consent for publication: Not applicable.
Ethical Approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences under the code IR.MUK.REC.1401.079, and informed consent was obtained based on the Deceleration of Helsinki.
Funding: This study received financial support from the Vice President of Research and Technology, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences.
Author Contributions: N.A. Y.GH., KH.R., and GH.V. contributed to the study design, data collection, and initial manuscript drafting. Statistical analysis was performed by KH.R., N.A. supervised the study design, implementation, and manuscript writing. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
)