Health Literacy and Newborn Screenings

Health literacy, the ability to understand and use health information, is crucial in all health processes such as healthy living, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and personal care. The newborn screening program (NSP) helps reduce morbidity and mortality by early diagnosing rare diseases in infants. Health literacy impacts parents' vaccination choices and attitudes, and higher health literacy is sometimes associated with lower adherence to vaccination protocols. Various studies highlight the significance of health literacy in childhood vaccinations, breastfeeding effectiveness, and attitudes toward YTP, emphasizing parents' lack of knowledge about NSP and the need for education. Notably, parents who give birth outside of hospitals have significant knowledge gaps regarding NSP.