Needs assessment of health literacy in drug abuse self-prevention behavior among secondary school students in Bangkok: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Insufficient health literacy is a barrier to reduce the risks associated with drug abuse. The study aimed to investigate the current and desirable conditions of health literacy related to defense against drug abuse and to prioritize health literacy needs for this purpose among early adolescents in Bangkok. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 412 students were randomly selected using a multistage sampling method by geographical areas. The research utilized was a 30-item questionnaire employing the dual-response format. The questionnaire demonstrated reliability coefficients ranging from. 86 to. 92. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and the standard deviation. The need assessment was evaluated using the modified Priority Needs Index (PNI modified) and compared with the mean through paired sample t-test. RESULTS: The needs assessment findings indicated that adolescents' current health literacy regarding self-prevention from drug abuse was moderate (mean = 3.40, SD = 0.78), whereas the desired level was very high (mean = 4.24, SD = 0.82). There was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level between students' actual and desired health literacy. Among the skills, self-management (PNI modified = 0.30) was prioritized, followed by media literacy (PNI modified = 0.27) and communication abilities (PNI modified = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: The results make a substantial contribution to understanding the requirement assessment process, serving as a valuable reference for educators and public health professionals. They provide insights into strategies for enhancing health literacy in adolescents' self-prevention against drug abuse, aiding in youth-focused interventions.