Relationship between Fertility Knowledge, General Health Literacy, and Reproductive Health Literacy among Iranian Medical Students

Rostami Varnousfaderani, M.; Khoshnazar, Z.; Mohammadjani, F.; Fotovvati, F.; Ghafoori, F.; Hosseini, K.; Hosseini Koukamari, P.

doi:10.58209/hehp.14.1.91

Relationship between Fertility Knowledge, General Health Literacy, and Reproductive Health Literacy among Iranian Medical Students

Document Type : Descriptive & Survey

Authors

M. Rostami Varnousfaderani ¹

Z. Khoshnazar ²

F. Mohammadjani ³

F. Fotovvati ³

F. Ghafoori ⁴

K. Hosseini ⁵

P. Hosseini Koukamari ⁶

¹ “Student Research Committee” and “Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health and Safety”, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Student Research Committee, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran

⁴ Department of Reproductive Health, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran

⁵ Clinical Research and Development Center of the Kamali Hospital, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

⁶ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran

10.58209/hehp.14.1.91

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to examine the association between fertility knowledge, general health literacy, and reproductive health literacy among female students at Saveh University of Medical Sciences.
Instrument & Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 on 208 female medical sciences students. Data collection tools included the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale , the Short Form Health Literacy for Iranian Adults, and the Women’s Reproductive Health Literacy Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24. For inferential analysis, Spearman’s correlation and backward linear regression were employed.
Findings: The mean age of participants was 22.34±3.27 years. The mean fertility knowledge score was 7.68 out of 13, while the mean scores for general health literacy and reproductive health literacy were 74.07 and 73.54 out of 100, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between fertility knowledge and both general health literacy (r=0.401, p<0.001) and reproductive health literacy (r=0.386, p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed that general health literacy (P=0.003) and reproductive health literacy (P=0.007) were significant positive predictors of fertility knowledge.
Conclusion: Fertility knowledge among female university students is moderate and influenced by both general and reproductive health literacy.

Keywords

Fertility

Health Literacy

Reproductive Health

Students

Iran

Subjects