Effects of health literacy on type 2 diabetic patients' glycemic control, self-management, and quality of life

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the pathway in which health literacy affects diabetic patients' quality of life (QoL) with self-care management skills and glycemic control levels (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) mediating the relationship.

Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out between April 2019 and September 2019. A convenience sample of participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from 3 primary healthcare centers, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using structured interviews and HbA1c levels were collected from medical files. Structural equation modeling was also used.

Results: Among the 256 participants, 27.3% had a marginal level of health literacy and 35.5% had an inadequate level of health literacy. Health literacy positively affects self-care management, glycemic control (HbA1c), and QoL directly and indirectly. Self-care management partially mediates this relationship.

Conclusion: Healthcare providers need to assess health literacy and develop interventions that enhance diabetic patients' health literacy because it influences self-care management skills, glycemic control, and patients' QoL. Health literacy should be considered as a key for health education and healthcare encounter to improve health outcomes.

Keywords: diabetes; glycemic control; health literacy; quality of life; self-care management; structural equation modeling.

Figure 1

-Structure equation modeling with the standardized regression coefficients.^*Significant