Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a public health problem due to the sequelae it causes, leading to physical dependence and functional disability. The acquisition of knowledge and the learning of skills are considered important aspects in the rehabilitation process of these people and are directly related to functional health literacy (FHL). The FHL refers to the understanding of information on health risks and the use of health services, including information leaflets, booklets, and health education. The person with SCI faces multiple barriers and experiences health disparities, but few studies have investigated the FHL of this population in rehabilitation.

To evaluate the functional health literacy of people with spinal cord injury in rehabilitation.

Quantitative and cross-sectional study conducted in a state rehabilitation center in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. The data collection took place between October 2021 and January 2022. The sample was composed of individuals diagnosed with SCI older than 18 years who attended the adult neurofunctional physiotherapy outpatient clinic of the institution. The Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA), electronic medical records were used to fill out the clinical profile form, and a questionnaire for sociodemographic characterization. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26.0.

We evaluated 85 individuals diagnosed with SCI, 22 females (25.9%) and 63 males (74.1%). Regarding the classification of the injury, most participants (42.4%) were classified as "A" on the American Impairment Scale (AIS) and presented paraplegia (65.8%), with a mean injury time of 55.5 months and rehabilitation time of 38 months. The average score on the S-TOFHLA was 79.5 points out of a total of 100 points. It was found that 60 individuals (70.6%) presented adequate FHL, followed by 13 with borderline FHL (15.3%) and 12 with inadequate FHL (14.1%).

The individuals with SCI evaluated presented mostly adequate FHL, so the rehabilitation process may have been a contributing factor to the outcome of FHL.

Rehabilitation allows greater exposure to health information, better organization, management capacity and knowledge of the disease, and thus could contribute to better outcomes of FHL. The evaluation of FHL by multidisciplinary teams during the rehabilitation process can be an important tool for improving the health of people with SCI.