Health literacy and mental well-being of school staff in times of crisis: A path analysis of sense of coherence, work-related stress, and health-protective behaviours
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In: Public Health, Vol. 245, 105749, 08.2025.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Health literacy and mental well-being of school staff in times of crisis
T2 - A path analysis of sense of coherence, work-related stress, and health-protective behaviours
AU - Amoah, Padmore Adusei
AU - Leung, Angela Y.M.
AU - Okyere, Joshua
AU - Lau, Sam S.S.
AU - Dadaczynski, Kevin
AU - Okan, Orkan
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/8
Y1 - 2025/8
N2 - Objectives: This paper examines the relationship between health literacy and mental well-being of school staff during distressful times. It examines the mediating roles of work-related stress, health-protective behaviours (i.e., attitudes about vaccination), and sense of coherence in the relationship between health literacy and mental well-being. Study design: A cross-sectional survey. Methods: Data were derived from 440 school staff who participated in a study on Health Literacy and Well-being of School Staff across all schools in Hong Kong. Structural Equation Modelling was used for path analysis. Results: Most (64.9 %) of the school staff had limited health literacy (i.e. problematic or inadequate). The mean score of their mental well-being was 51.4 out of 100 (±20.8), with around 18 % of them at risk of depression. Health literacy was not directly associated with mental well-being. Instead, it predicted mental well-being through work-related stress (B = 0.130, p = 0.036) and adoption of health-protective behaviours (B = 0.376, p = 0.021). Conclusion: While health literacy may not directly influence the mental well-being of school staff, it has a critical role in safeguarding mental well-being in times of distress by shaping positive attitudes towards protective health measures and managing sources of work stress.
AB - Objectives: This paper examines the relationship between health literacy and mental well-being of school staff during distressful times. It examines the mediating roles of work-related stress, health-protective behaviours (i.e., attitudes about vaccination), and sense of coherence in the relationship between health literacy and mental well-being. Study design: A cross-sectional survey. Methods: Data were derived from 440 school staff who participated in a study on Health Literacy and Well-being of School Staff across all schools in Hong Kong. Structural Equation Modelling was used for path analysis. Results: Most (64.9 %) of the school staff had limited health literacy (i.e. problematic or inadequate). The mean score of their mental well-being was 51.4 out of 100 (±20.8), with around 18 % of them at risk of depression. Health literacy was not directly associated with mental well-being. Instead, it predicted mental well-being through work-related stress (B = 0.130, p = 0.036) and adoption of health-protective behaviours (B = 0.376, p = 0.021). Conclusion: While health literacy may not directly influence the mental well-being of school staff, it has a critical role in safeguarding mental well-being in times of distress by shaping positive attitudes towards protective health measures and managing sources of work stress.
KW - Health behaviours
KW - Health literacy
KW - Hong Kong
KW - Mental well-being
KW - School staff
KW - Sense of coherence
KW - Health sciences
KW - Psychology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105005512293&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105749
DO - 10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105749
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 40408935
AN - SCOPUS:105005512293
VL - 245
JO - Public Health
JF - Public Health
SN - 0033-3506
M1 - 105749
ER -