Sujeev S. Bains|Leonard E. Egede
Associations Between Health Literacy, Diabetes Knowledge, Self-Care Behaviors, and Glycemic Control in a Low Income Population with Type 2 Diabetes
Medical University of South Carolina|Medical University of South Carolina|Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
study assessed associations among health literacy diabetes knowledge selfcare glycemic control low income predominately minority population type 2 diabetesone hundred twentyfive adults diabetes recruited primary care clinic subjects completed validated surveys measure health literacy diabetes knowledge selfcare medication adherence diet exercise blood sugar testing foot care hemoglobin a1c values extracted medical record spearmans correlation multiple linear regression used assess relationship among health literacy diabetes knowledge selfcare glycemic control controlling covariatescronbachs 095 revised rapid estimate adult literacy medicine majority sample 65 years old 507 female 725 african american 714 less high school education 682 household income 15000 642 reported health status worse last year 739 adjusted models examined associations among health literacy diabetes knowledge medication adherence selfcare health literacy significantly associated diabetes knowledge 055 95 confidence interval ci 029 082 final adjusted model independent factors associated glycemic control diabetes knowledge 012 95 ci 001 023 perceived health status 114 95 ci 013 216 significantly associated glycemic control whereas health literacy associated glycemic control 003 95 ci 019 013diabetes knowledge perceived health status important factors associated glycemic control population health literacy appears exert influence diabetes knowledge directly related selfcare medication adherence