Assessment of health literacy among family caregivers of school-aged children with metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases in children, and caregivers are integral to its management. With the widespread adoption of digital technologies, understanding caregivers' health and e-health literacy is essential to design effective health interventions. This study aimed to investigate the health and e-health literacy of caregivers of children with MASLD. METHODS: This study employed a mixed-methods design, including a descriptive qualitative study involving face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 20 caregivers of children with MASLD and a cross-sectional survey of 116 participants to assess e-health literacy levels. RESULTS: Four overarching themes and nine subthemes related to health literacy among caregivers of children with MASLD were identified. The main themes included insufficient health awareness and knowledge gaps, multiple barriers to implementation of health management, the accessibility and credibility of digital health information, and expectations for professional guidance and continuous support. Additionally, only 45 caregivers (38.79%) had qualified eHealth literacy, and the mean eHealth literacy score was 28.95 ± 5.66. Compared with the unqualified group, the qualified group had lower values for body composition indicators, although the differences were not statistically significant. Caregivers' eHealth literacy scores differed significantly by highest education level and residence (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The health literacy level of caregivers of school-aged children with MASLD remains to be improved, particularly in terms of eHealth literacy. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals should assess caregivers' health literacy and provide tailored education and reliable digital health resources to improve family-centered management of children with MASLD.