Exploring Health Literacy Among Parents of Children Who Attended the Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinics in Qatar: A Convergent Parallel Research Design.

Abstract

Parents of children treated in rehabilitation settings are required to have heightened health literacy (HL) skills due to the complexity of healthcare provision among this patient population. This novel mixed-method study explores HL among parents of children treated in a pediatric rehabilitation specialty clinic in Qatar, focusing on both Arabic and English-speaking parents. The primary objective is to assess HL among parents of children attending pediatric rehabilitation clinics in Qatar, examining key domains such as functional HL, critical HL, empowerment, and communicative HL. Participants were recruited through a self-selected sampling method, with data collected via the All Aspects of Health Literacy scale and qualitative interviews. The study was conducted between November 2021 and May 2022. The study analyzes the congruence between quantitative and qualitative findings to provide a comprehensive view of HL among caregivers. The study highlighted the diverse demographics, including caregivers' educational backgrounds, age distribution, income, and children's diagnoses. While the English-speaking sample demonstrates nuanced comprehension and minimal reliance on external resources, the Arabic sample exhibits challenges in functional and critical HL, with some turning to Google for information. Both groups emphasized empowerment and communicative HL. The study underscores the need for tailored interventions, considering the diverse caregiver landscape, to optimize pediatric healthcare outcomes. The outcomes reveal a convergence of quantitative and qualitative data, indicating elevated HL levels among participants. Communicative HL emerges as a strength, while critical HL displays variability, particularly among Arabic-speaking parents. This research significantly contributes to understanding HL in pediatric rehabilitation, highlighting the need for tailored interventions considering the diverse parents' landscape.