Examination of the relationships between health literacy and rational drug use

The aim of the study is to determine the health literacy and rational drug use levels of individuals and to examine the relationship between health literacy levels and rational drug use. The universe of the study, which was designed as a descriptive and relationship-seeking field study, consisted of approximately 20,000 people over the age of 18 who were literate and accepted to work, who would apply to the Dr. Leman Yurtoğlu Family Health Center number one in Balıkesir center Altıeylül district during the data collection process. In this context, 384 people were reached as a sample. The data obtained in the research were analyzed using the SPSS for Windows 25.0 program. Nonparametric tests were used because the scales did not show normal distribution (p<0.05). Accordingly, nonparametric tests were used in the evaluation of the scales. Mann Whitney U test was used to find the difference between two independent groups in the comparison of quantitative data in nonnormally distributed scales, and Kruskal Wallis analysis was used in comparisons of more than two independent groups. When a difference was found as a result of Kruskal Wallis analysis, the corrected Bonferroni was applied to find the group that made the difference. Spearman correlation was used to test the relationship between the scales. As a result of the study, the mean score of Turkey's health literacy scale was determined as 32.90±7.35, which is expressed as problematic/limited health literacy. The mean score of the rational drug use scale, on the other hand, was determined as 38.82±3.90, which is considered as having knowledge of rational drug use. It has been determined that there is no statistically significant relationship between individuals' health literacy levels and sub-dimensions and rational drug use levels. These results can guide policy makers and other important building blocks of the sector, practitioners and academics, to conduct more studies on the subject. Keywords: Drug use, Health literacy, Irrational drug use, Rational drug use,