Background: The effectiveness of pandemic control measures requires a broad understanding from the population. This study aimed to evaluate the role played by health literacy (HL) in influencing the adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and risk perception of essential frontline workers during the lockdown period. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a population-based sample of frontline workers from Prato Province (Italy). Data on knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 preventive measures and risk perception were collected. HL was measured with the HLS-EU-Q6 tool. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 751 people participated in this study, and 56% of the sample showed a sufficient level of HL. In the multivariate models, HL resulted in being positively correlated with both knowledge (beta 0.32 for sufficient HL, 0.11 for problematic HL) and attitudes (beta 0.33 for sufficient HL, 0.17 for problematic HL) towards the importance of COVID-19 preventive measures. The HL level was not associated with the adoption of preventive behaviors and COVID-19 risk perception. Conclusions: HL may play a key role in maintaining a high adherence to infection prevention behaviors and may be a factor to take into account in the implementation of public health interventions in pandemic times.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, infection control, knowledge, preventive measures, health literacy, population-based, Risk perception, infection prevention behaviors, essential frontline workers, attitudes and practices, 【초록키워드】 pandemic, lockdown, Italy, Health, implementation, Effectiveness, Infection prevention, Public health intervention, cross-sectional survey, preventive measure, Linear regression analysis, multivariate, measure, was measured, performed, collected, evaluate, conducted, participated, positively correlated, 【제목키워드】 Italy, Behavior, worker, Tuscany, role, literacy, Sample, Essential,