Elucidating the Role of Medical Professors in Promoting Health Literacy  Among the Public: A Qualitative Study

Shali, Mahboubeh; Mohammadi, Samira; Shahbazi, Hasan; Kohan, Nooshin; Larijani, Bagher; Naderi Magham, Shohreh

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Shali M, Mohammadi S, Shahbazi H, Kohan N, Larijani B, Naderi Magham S. Elucidating the Role of Medical Professors in Promoting Health Literacy Among the Public: A Qualitative Study. IJMEHM 2023; 16 (S1) : 6
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6662-en.html

Elucidating the Role of Medical Professors in Promoting Health Literacy Among the Public: A Qualitative Study

Mahboubeh Shali¹

, Samira Mohammadi²

, Hasan Shahbazi³

, Nooshin Kohan⁴

, Bagher Larijani⁵

, Shohreh Naderi Magham ^*

⁶

1- Assistant professor, Nursing and Midwifery school, Tehran university of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Population Health Research Group, Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Health Education and Health Promotion Department, Medical Sciences Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
4- Associate professor, Medical Education and Electronic Learning, Smart University of Medical Sciences (VUMS), Tehran, Iran
5- Professor, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
6- Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: (460 Views)

To enhance the level of health literacy among the public, it is essential to take steps towards empowering people to recognize and control the influential factors on health. University professors, as health knowledge promoters, are recognized as educators of health skills and advocates for healthy lifestyles and behaviors. This study aimed to elucidate the role of medical professors in promoting the health literacy of the public. The present study was conducted using conventional content analysis. The participants were selected using purposive sampling with maximum variation. A total of 20 professors from medical universities, the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, and the Ministry of Health were purposively selected until information saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed simultaneously with data collection. Twenty participants (9 females and 11 males) with an average age of 50.3 and an average work experience of 23.45 years took part in the study. After data analysis, 947 initial codes were extracted, and subsequently, categorized into five main categories and fifteen subcategories. Infrastructure development, content production, role model, self-empowerment, and culture building were identified as the main categories. University professors can, through a skillful combination of various elements within the educational system, either propel students and the general public towards lofty goals or deprive them of achieving such objectives. However, factors such as the low number of professors relative to the number of students, the high workload of faculty members, lack of resources, and the overwhelming life responsibilities of faculty members have influenced their performance and role in this regard. To achieve the goal of encouraging professors in enhancing the health literacy of society, it is imperative to bring these constraints to the attention of authorities for resolution.

Article number: 6

Keywords: Health Literacy, Qualitative Research, Health Policy, University of Medical Sciences

Full-Text [PDF 607 kb] (302 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Ethics in Medical Education
Received: 2024/01/9 | Accepted: 2023/11/22 | Published: 2023/11/22