ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLES OF ADULT EDUCATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY’S HEALTH LITERACY IN AKOKO SOUTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ONDO STATE

Abstract

Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand health information to make informed decisions; it is critical to individual and community well-being. This paper examines adult education’s role in promoting community health literacy development and emphasises the importance of empowering populations with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes through adult education towards making sound health decisions. The descriptive research design of the survey type was employed for the study; a sample size of 382 was used, using a multistage sampling procedure. Data was collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire (ATROAEITDCHL) with the assistance of 2 trained research assistants. It was revealed from the study that participation in adult education programmes facilitated acceptable health behaviour and increased awareness of common health issues in the community, among others. The study recommends the effective implementation of adult education programmes, the inclusion of health literacy in adult education programmes, and strategic policy review and implementation to make health literacy a public health priority. By fostering health literacy, public health can improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and empower individuals and communities.