Impact of health literacy on health practices in the working life of young Japanese nurses and care workers

• Published in: Industrial Health Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 171 - 179
• Main Authors: SATO, Yuki, IWAKIRI, Kazuyuki, MATSUO, Tomoaki, SASAKI, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kawasaki National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 23-01-2021; National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan; National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH)
• Subjects: Behavior; Care worker; Health aspects; Health behavior; Health education; Health literacy; Influence; Life span, Productive; Medical personnel; Nurse; Nurses; Occupational health; Original; Practice; Work life balance; Working life; Young workers; Japan
• ISSN: 0019-8366; 1880-8026
• DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2020-0218

To continue to work healthily, health practices are necessary. This study assessed the impact of health literacy (HL) on health practices in the working life of young Japanese nurses and care workers, occupations with heavy physical and psychological burdens. A web-based survey was conducted with 500 women (330 nurses and 170 care workers) under the age of 30 in 2019. Data regarding their demographic characteristics, HL and health practices in their working life were collected. A significant association was found between high HL and better health practices, such as being likely to rest when tired, working at their own pace maintaining a good work-life balance and regularly performing self-check-ups, which were common to nurses and care workers. In addition, sub-analysis among the high-HL group revealed that the attendance of lectures regarding working life and health for new employees was effective for taking rest when needed, working when not overtired and a good work-life balance. The results of this study suggest that high HL relates to healthy practices in the working life of young Japanese nurses and care workers. Increasing HL or fundamentally enhancing attitudes towards their own health or both may, therefore, have some benefits for healthy working practices.