Demography and social economy, 2020, 2(40):71-88
doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/dse2020.02.071
UDC 314.18(614.25) (477)
JEL СLASSIFICATION: J10, І15, І18

N.О. Ryngach
Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies
of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
01032, Ukraine, Kyiv, Вlvd Taras Shevchenko, 60
E-mail: n_ryngach@ukr.net
ORCID 0000-0002-5916-3221

HEALTH LITERACY AND ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN UKRAINE
Section: SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROCESSES
Language: Ukrainian
Abstract: Health literacy is one of the key determinants of health. The effectiveness of life-sustaining and health-enhancing strategies depends directly on the level of literacy among the general public and the government and public health professionals in particular. Implementation of one of the most important Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ukraine - Goal 3 “Good health and Well-being” is impossible without achieving a higher level of health literacy. The purpose of the article was to identify, on the basis of international approaches to health literacy assessment, the role of increasing its level in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine; to characterize, according to the results of a sociological survey, the level of health literacy of Ukrainian doctors on the example of health management specialists. Potential contribution of improving health literacy in the implementation of healthrelated tasks in the SDGs in Ukraine has been identified. The scientific novelty is to identify the potential contribution of improving health literacy to the implementation of health-related tasks in achieving the SDG sin Ukraine. For the first time, the level of health literacy of physicians-specialists in health management was evaluated. The content analysis method was used (to examine current views on the role of health literacy in the achievement of the SDG and approaches to assessing it) and the sociological method (formalized interview (followed by group discussion). The extremely important role of health literacy was identified for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine, illustrating the potential contribution of increasing the level of health literacy of the Ukrainian population in the implementation of health-related targets by detailing a number of Sustainable Development Goals. The sociological survey was conducted in the 2018-2019 academic year among physicians-specialists in health management at the Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education. The survey was conducted using the special health literacy assessment tool (The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire, HLS_EU_Q47). The respondents ‘assessment of respondents’ perceptions of health problems was analyzed. It is shown that, given the overall awareness, there are specific problems, first of all, in the area of applying one’s own knowledge and skills. The most challenging issues were health promotion activities (place of work and residence, community and country, impact on living conditions that affect health and well-being, political change), with difficulties found in all positions: from finding information to practical activities. Respondents’ lack of ability to think critically, difficulties in choosing their own judgments in the presence of different authoritative opinions on a particular issue were revealed. The role of the leader for the health sector in cross-sectoral activities to improve health literacy has been substantiated. The need for continued sociological research on the HLS_EU_Q47 questionnaire in a representative sample of the Ukrainian population is substantiated, followed by comparative analysis with results in other countries.
Key words: health literacy, Sustainable Development Goals, health-related targets, sociological research.
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