The Relationship between Health Literacy and Health Promoting Behaviors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
Shima Chahardah-Cherik, Mahin Gheibizadeh, Simin Jahani and 1 others
PMID 29344537WHAT IT FOUND
In 175 adults with type 2 diabetes, higher health literacy was associated with more health-promoting behaviors overall and in most domains.
Physical activity scored lowest, nutrition highest. Association does not prove literacy causes better behaviors.
Key findings
01Health literacy was significantly related to all dimensions of health-promoting behaviors before controlling for confounders (P<0.05).
02Physical activity had the lowest mean health-promoting behavior score (6.70±2.75) and nutrition had the highest (26.11±6.85).
03Mean health literacy score was 76.14±15.26 and mean health-promoting behavior score was 100.45±19.82.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study measured health literacy and behaviors at one time, so it cannot show that health literacy causes better health-promoting behaviors. Participants were selected by convenience sampling from clinics and community centers in Ahvaz, so results may not apply to other populations. All outcomes were self-reported, and willingness to participate may have attracted people with higher health literacy. The health-promoting behavior questionnaire was researcher-made and did not have construct validity or factor analysis. After controlling for age, sex, marital status, occupation and family history, physical activity and nutrition were no longer significantly related to health literacy.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that health literacy causes better health-promoting behaviors. The study measured both at one time with self-report questionnaires in a convenience sample, and after controlling for common confounders, physical activity and nutrition were no longer significantly related to health literacy.