Fertility Knowledge and Its Correlates with General and Reproductive Health Literacy among Iranian Medical Students

Authors
M. Rostami Varnousfaderani
Z. Khoshnazar
F. Mohammadjani
F. Fotovvati
F. Ghafori
K. Hosseini
P. Hosseini Koukamari
Abstract
Aim: 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.

Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 on 208 female medical sciences students. Data collection tools included standardized questionnaires: the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale (CFKS), the Short Form Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA-SF), and the Women's Reproductive Health Literacy Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were reported. For inferential analysis, Spearman’s correlation and backward linear regression were employed. A significance level of 0.05 was considered for all statistical tests.

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 was found to be moderate and significantly influenced by both general and reproductive health literacy. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions, especially for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to improve reproductive health outcomes.

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Subjects

Health Education and Health Promotion
Volume 1, Issue 0
Winter 2022