Association between health literacy and diabetes outcomes and self-management behaviors among older u.s. adults

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects an estimated 10.9 million people aged 65 and older in the U.S. The prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. is expected to increase given the continued increase in the prevalence of associated risk factors.Chronic complications such as blindness, amputations, nephropathy, retinopathy, higher rates of hospitalizations, and increased mortality risk, tend to be more severe among older adults. DM requires patients to alter their lifelong behaviors, engage in routine self-monitoring, and adhere to recommended self-care behaviors. Studies have suggested that limited health literacy (HL) may be a potential new determinant of diabetes outcomes.Poor HL disproportionately affects people from low economic status,low educational attainment, recent immigrants, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and patients with chronic conditions.

Methods: The sample consisted of 1063 participants who were age 55 years and older AND diagnosed with DM by self-report or through bio-marker laboratory testing. A proxy HL score was derived from four demographic variables. Logistic regressions, multiple and multivariate linear regressions were performed to test the hypotheses and the strength of the relationship between the proxy HL scores and dependent variables.

Results:In Progress

Conclusion: The novel approach for measuring HL enlisted in this study has potential for advancing our understanding of the association between HL and diabetes outcomes and self-management behaviors. To date, previous research is inconclusive, though none have analyzed data obtained from a national probability sample. This approach allows researchers the opportunity to measure HL at a population level and to contribute to the limited body of knowledge.