Health literacy, help-seeking behaviors, and resilience among student nurses in a selected private college of nursing

Abstract

Student nurses are vulnerable to psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, and stress. While they may experience less distress than frontline healthcare workers, they still face emotional challenges. This study aimed to determine the levels of health literacy and help-seeking behavior among student nurses, and how these factors contribute to enhancing their resilience. A descriptive-correlational design was used. Respondents were randomly selected student nurses from a private college of nursing in Antique, Philippines for the academic year 2024–2025. Data were collected through survey questionnaires after ethical clearance was granted by the CPU-RERB. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, and Spearman’s Rho determined the relationships between variables. Results showed that health literacy and help-seeking behavior were at moderate levels, while resilience was high. A strong positive correlation was found between health literacy and help-seeking behavior (ρ = 0.787, p = 0.000), and a moderate positive correlation between help-seeking behavior and resilience (ρ = 0.466, p = 0.007). These findings suggested that student nurses with higher health literacy are more likely to seek help, and that increased help-seeking behavior significantly contributes to stronger resilience. Promoting health literacy and encouraging proactive help-seeking can enhance student nurses’ ability to cope with psychological challenges.