Understanding and correctly managing information about one’s own health is the focus of a research project involving the University of the Republic of San Marino, the Ancona Local Health Authority (Azienda Sanitaria Territoriale di Ancona), the University of Urbino and Avis Senigallia, the local blood donors’ association. The project was recently published in the international scientific journal “Socio-Economic Planning Sciences”, which has been active for more than 50 years in the field of decision-making processes, particularly within the public sector.
At the heart of the study is the concept of health literacy — that is, people’s ability to understand and use the health information they receive, from self-care to decisions affecting quality of life, as well as the management of potential illnesses.
“The research focused on health literacy, a term used to describe a person’s ability to interpret and manage the health information they receive, connected to self-care, decisions about quality of life, and the management of possible illnesses,” explains a statement from the University of San Marino.
The study was carried out as part of a pilot project run by the Transfusion Medicine Unit of the Ancona Local Health Authority and involved 471 blood donors from Avis Senigallia. Participants were given a questionnaire consisting of 51 questions, from which a range of data was collected and later analyzed by Pietro Renzi, professor at the University of San Marino, and Alberto Franci of the University of Urbino.
“In addition to participants’ self-assessments of their health literacy, the researchers gathered information on their health status, access to healthcare and social services, and lifestyle habits, as well as demographic and economic data,” the statement notes.
The collected data made it possible to correlate participants’ self-reported levels of health literacy with a range of factors related to health conditions, use of services, habits, and socio-economic characteristics.
The project was launched in 2024 and concluded with its recent publication in the international journal. “This made possible the analyses presented in the research, which began in 2024 and concluded with its recent publication in ‘Socio-Economic Planning Sciences,’ effectively confirming its scientific relevance,” the statement adds.
Among the goals outlined by the research is the maintenance and improvement of the population’s overall health, by further exploring the role that the ability to understand and use health information can play in individual decision-making.
