Bridging the Health Literacy Gap among Coastal Communities: The Role of Health Information Access in Pangkep Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Health literacy is an important determinant of public health, particularly among coastal communities facing geographical barriers, limited access to health services, and unequal distribution of health information. This study aimed to describe health information access and health literacy levels among coastal communities in Tekolabbua Village, Pangkep Regency, Indonesia. A quantitative descriptive design was employed, involving 120 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected in January 2026 using a structured questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, sources of health information, and the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire 16-item short form (HLS-EU-Q16). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. The findings showed that the internet was the most frequently used source of health information (51.7%), followed by health workers (32.5%), printed media (7.5%), books/textbooks (5.8%), and research journal articles (2.5%). Most respondents were categorized as having interactive health literacy (52.5%), followed by critical health literacy (43.3%) and functional health literacy (4.2%). These findings indicate that coastal communities in Tekolabbua Village primarily rely on digital sources and health workers and generally demonstrate health literacy above the basic level. Strengthening digital health literacy and optimizing the role of health workers are essential to support informed health decision-making, climate-resilient health systems, sustainable development in marine-dependent populations, and reduced health inequalities caused by geographical isolation. These efforts align with SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 10, and SDG 14 by enhancing community capacity to respond to environmental health risks.