간호대학생의 건강정보이해능력 및 의약품에 대한 지식에 관한 연구

A Descriptive Study of Health Literacy and Medication Knowledge among Nursing Students

This study aimed to assess the level of health literacy and medication knowledge among nursing students and to identify factors associated with these competencies. A descriptive survey was conducted with 397 nursing students enrolled at a university in Gwangju, Korea. Health literacy was measured using the Korean version of the Short-Form Health Literacy Scale (HLS-SF-K12), and medication knowledge was assessed with a 12-item tool developed by Kim. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA with Scheffe post-hoc tests, and Pearson’s correlation analysis. The mean score for health literacy was 38.79 out of 48, and the mean score for medication knowledge was 9.31 out of 12. Health literacy differed significantly according to age, academic year, exercise habits, regular medication use in the past six months, and previous medication education. Medication knowledge also showed significant differences by age, academic year, primary health information provider, regular medication use, and experience of medication education. A positive correlation was found between health literacy and medication knowledge. These findings indicate that nursing students generally demonstrate high levels of health literacy and medication knowledge, yet remain vulnerable in areas such as understanding medication instructions, comparing treatment options, and knowledge related to analgesics and antibiotics. Strengthening structured education on health information, medication safety, and evidence-based decision-making within nursing curricula is therefore recommended.