Table 2 Correlation of health beliefs and health literacy and its dimensions with preventive behaviors in female students

Health literacy

27.94 ± 6.96

1

Menstruation

5.80 ± 2.00

0.67*

1

Nutrition

8.53 ± 2.44

0.66*

0.36*

1

Physical activity

4.01 ± 1.93

0.49*

0.15**

0.01^a

1

Self-exam

5.09 ± 2.35

0.74*

0.37*

0.29*

0.31*

1

Anemia

4.50 ± 1.73

0.72*

0.38*

0.41*

0.25*

0.44*

1

Susceptibility

32.24 ± 3.32

0.22*

0.23*

0.05^a

0.18*

0.15*

0.13**

1

Severity

49.30 ± 7.11

0.32*

0.22*

0.30*

0.10**

0.18*

0.23*

0.23*

1

Benefits

26.94 ± 3.61

0.40*

0.27*

0.42*

0.14**

0.17*

0.31*

0.21*

0.51*

1

Barriers

14.35 ± 3.42

− 0.30*

− 0.07^a

− 0.32*

− 0.13**

− 0.19*

− 0.25*

− 0.01^a

0.10**

− 0.18*

1

Cues to action

29.13 ± 4.74

0.28*

0.15**

0.13**

0.26*

0.20*

0.22*

0.19*

0.32*

0.38*

− 0.05^a

1

Self-efficacy

27.08 ± 4.26

0.35*

0.17*

0.27*

0.25*

0.20*

0.25*

0.20*

0.36*

0.54*

− 0.239

0.53*

1

Behavior

34.01 ± 5.53

0.41*

0.26*

0.25*

0.31*

0.27*

0.27*

0.26*

0.26*

0.38*

− 0.19*

0.57*

0.64*

1