The relationship between health literacy and general health status of patients with type II diabetes

Abstract

Individuals with low health literacy are less aware of their own health status and receive fewer preventive services. Furthermore, fewer chronic diseases are controlled in these individuals. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health literacy and general health status of patients with type II diabetes. In this descriptive-correlational study, 250 patients with type II diabetes in Ilam were selected using convenience sampling. Tools used in this study were the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ28). Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS Software version 20, including t-test (for two groups of variables), ANOVA (for more than two groups of variables), and correlation analysis. The results showed that 80 (32%), 102 (40.8%), and 68 (27.2%) patients with diabetes had inadequate, marginal, and adequate literacy, respectively. The findings also indicated that the means and standard deviations of patients' health literacy scores were 31.38 +/- 6.40 in terms of calculations, 34.93 +/- 7.45 in reading skill, and 6.30 +/- 11.61 in general. There was a statistically significant relationship between health literacy and general health status of patients (p < 0.001). Based on the results revealing average/marginal health literacy and general health in most patients in the study, officials must conduct more research to improve health literacy and general health of patients.