Table 3.
Major Themes and Subthemes Elicited from the Focus Groups about Health Literacy (HL)
| Focal Area | Major Themes | Subthemes |
|---|---|---|
| Types of HL | Active | Informed deliberate engagement |
| Passive | Subconscious engagement | |
| Subjective feelings post non-deliberate engagement | ||
| Barriers/protective factors associated with HL acquisition and utilization | Adolescent characteristics | Future orientation |
| Self-control | ||
| Personal motivation | ||
| Low risk perception/susceptibility | ||
| Environmental factors | Provider communication | |
| Access to resources/information | ||
| Parent characteristics | ||
| Media | ||
| Religion | ||
| Inadequate health knowledge | Knowledge of health terminology | |
| Not being taught HL skills at all | ||
| Being taught HL skills too late | ||
| Misinformation | ||
| Uncertainty/self-doubt in current knowledge | ||
| Confidence in HL skills/usage | Sure of Skills | Informed health-decision making |
| Good patient provider communication | ||
| Behavior and knowledge align | ||
| Share information with others | ||
| Unsure of skills (but reflects opposite) | Questioning media content | |
| Consult multiple sources of information | ||
| Communicate lack of understanding with providers | ||
| Unsure | Failing to disclose info to providers/ intimidation | |
| Not able to answer friends’ health questions | ||
| Ignore own knowledge/fail to question reliable source | ||
| Medical non-adherence | ||
| Insufficient research on medication | ||
| Unfamiliar terminology |