Predictive Value of Health Literacy on Health-Promoting and Protective Behaviours in Turkish Nurses and Allied Health Workers

Aim: This study aims to investigate the extent to which Turkish nurses and allied health workers' levels of health literacy predict health-promoting and protective behaviours. Desing: A descriptive and cross-sectional study design was used. Methods: The study was conducted with 403 Turkish nurses and allied health workers working in different regions of Türkiye between January and May 2024. JASP 0.18.3.0, Jamovi 2.3.21, and SPSS 26 and AMOS26 programs were used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics and simple and multiple regression analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Results: A positive, moderately significant relationship was found between health literacy and health-promoting and protective behaviours (r = 0.460, p < 0.001). Regression analysis results showed that health literacy explained 21.1% (R2 = 21.1) of the change in health-promoting and protective behaviours and was a significant predictor of health-promoting and protective behaviours. Patient or Public Contribution: Understanding the predictive effect of health literacy and preventive health behaviours can guide practices and policies that will improve the level of health literacy and preventive health behaviours in healthcare workers. Improving their health literacy and preventive health behaviours can help patients and the general public increase their health literacy levels and gain positive health behaviours.