The Influence of Health Literacy and Depression on Diabetes Self-Management: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Published in: Journal of Diabetes Research Vol. 2016; no. 2016; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Yogendran, D., Astorga, C., Everett, B., Maneze, D., Salamonson, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2016; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adult; Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Australia; Chronic illnesses; Country of birth; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - psychology; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - therapy; Educational Status; Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology; Female; Glycated Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Health education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Literacy; Humans; Knowledge; Language; Male; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Outpatient care facilities; Pilot Projects; Population; Questionnaires; Self Care - psychology; Sociodemographics; Socioeconomic factors; Studies; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Type 2 diabetes; Young Adult; Australia
• ISSN: 2314-6745; 2314-6753
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/3458969

Despite an increasing focus on health literacy in the clinical setting and in the literature, there is still ongoing debate about its influence on diabetes self-management. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships of sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors on health literacy and diabetes self-management. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken on 224 patients with type 2 diabetes at two diabetes centres in Sydney, Australia. Findings showed that people with low health literacy were more likely to (a) have lower educational attainment; (b) be migrants; and (c) have depressed mood. Unexpectedly, those who met H b A 1 c threshold of good glucose control were more likely to have low health literacy. Predictors of low diabetes self-management included (a) younger age group (AOR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.24–4.64); (b) having postsecondary education (AOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.05–5.01); (c) low knowledge of diabetes management (AOR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.25–4.20); and (d) having depressed mood (AOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.30–4.06). The finding that depressed mood predicted both low health literacy and low diabetes self-management stresses the importance of screening for depression. Increasing people’s understanding of diabetes self-management and supporting those with depression are crucial to enhance participation in diabetes self-management.