Health Literacy Level and Physical Activity Adolescents during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Technological developments increase sedentary behavior and result in a lack of physical activity in adolescents. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited youth in physical activity. Several factors affect the lack of physical activity in adolescents. One of them is the health literacy factor which is rarely studied. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the level of health literacy and physical activity in adolescents at senior high school 1 Karanganyar during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subjects and Method: This research is a school-based cross-sectional study conducted in Karanganyar, Central Java on 14-21 February 2022. The research samples were students of classes X and XI at senior high school 1 Karanganyar who were willing to be respondents with a total of 280 respondents. The sample was selected using a simple random sampling technique. The dependent variable in this study is physical activity. The independent varia�bles are the level of health literacy. Health literacy was measured using the HLS-SF-Q12 instru�ment and physical activity was measured using the PAQ-A and distributed online via the Google form. Data analysis was performed by statistical tests using the Chi-square test.

Results: The level of health literacy and the majority of adolescent activities are in the less cate�gory. Adolescents' physical activity levels decreased during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The results showed that there was a relationship between the level of health literacy and phy�sical activity in adolescents at senior high school 1 Karanganyar (OR= 21.0; 95% CI 2.29 to 192.37; p=0.007). The proportion of students who have a good category of physical acti�vity tends to be higher in the group of adolescents with a good level of health literacy.

Conclusion: The level of health literacy is related to the physical activity of adolescents. This study recommends efforts to increase students' health literacy to increase the level of phy�sical activity of adolescents. This effort can be done through education on various social media.