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. 2018 Nov;31(4):344-347.
doi: 10.2337/ds18-0064.

Health Literacy, Glycemic Control, and Physician-Advised Glucose Self-Monitoring Use in Type 2 Diabetes

Paul M Alvarez  1 , Laura A Young  2   3 , Madeline Mitchell  3 , Tamara G Blakeney  3 , John B Buse  2 , Maihan B Vu  4 , Mark A Weaver  5 , Jennifer Rees  3 , Kimberlea Grimm  3 , Katrina E Donahue  3   6
Affiliations

Health Literacy, Glycemic Control, and Physician-Advised Glucose Self-Monitoring Use in Type 2 Diabetes

Paul M Alvarez et al. Diabetes Spectr. 2018 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: To measure the association between health literacy and both patient-reported and clinical outcomes in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods: We surveyed patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (n = 448) from 15 primary care practices. The association between health literacy and patient-reported and clinical outcomes, including numeracy of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) use, how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing, and glycemic control (as measured by A1C), was investigated.

Results: Study participants included 448 patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes located within central North Carolina. Participants with limited health literacy had poorer glycemic control (A1C 7.7 ± 1.1% vs. 7.5 ± 1.0%, P = 0.016) despite using SMBG testing more frequently (daily SMBG testing 49.3 vs. 30.7%, P = 0.001) compared to individuals with adequate health literacy. The difference in how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing between limited and adequate health literacy groups was not significant (P = 0.68).

Conclusion: Limited health literacy was associated with poorer glycemic control and an increased frequency of SMBG testing in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. There was no significant difference in how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing between patients with limited and adequate health literacy.

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