Health Literacy in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Health literacy is a major determinant of health as it enables individuals to use information and services to maintain their wellbeing. Thus, it improves health outcomes, increases healthcare intervention efficiency, and encourages health equity. Determining the level of health literacy in Saudi Arabia help policymakers establish targeted interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate health literacy levels in Saudi Arabia and its contributing factors, as well as the effectiveness of strategies developed to improve it. METHODS A literature search for peer reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024 was conducted using the following databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, and Medline. Results were assessed for their eligibility. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed on the included studies. RESULTS A total of 54 studies were included in this review. All included studies were of acceptable quality with a total rating ranging from 60-100%. The distribution of publication shows a growing trend in research activity over time. Most included studies (n= 44, 81.5%) had a cross-sectional design. Some studies found poor health literacy levels while others demonstrated adequate health literacy among general population. Factors promoting health literacy include education level, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, cultural background and language proficiency. CONCLUSIONS This review emphasizes the discrepancies in the level of health literacy among the Saudi population. It is recommended to implement tailored and complex intervention programs. Policymakers in Saudi Arabia should establish culturally and linguistically suitable health education efforts that target vulnerable populations.