Poster Presentation Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting 2017

The influence of health literacy and depression on diabetes self-management: a cross-sectional study (#363)

Della Maneze 1 , Bronwyn EVERETT 2 , Cecilia Astorga 3 , Daisy Yogendran 4 , Yenna Salamonson 5
  1. Macarthur Multicultural Health Service, Ingleburn Community Health Centre, Ingleburn, NSW
  2. Centre For Applied Nursing Research, Western Sydney University, School of Nursing & Midwifery. Ingham Institute For Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
  3. Diabetes and Endocrine Service, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
  4. Diabetes and Endocrine Service, Campbelltown Hospital, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
  5. Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Applied Nursing Research. Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia

Background:

Effective diabetes self-management (DSM) is an essential component for achieving optimal glycaemic control and it is a key element for improving health outcomes and quality of life among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although health literacy and depression have been linked with suboptimal DSM and increase in diabetes complications, few studies have examined the interrelationships between these two factors and DSM.

Aims:

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships of DSM, health literacy and depression, taken into consideration sociodemographic and clinical factors of patients with T2D.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional survey design, 224 patients with T2D, aged ≥18 years, were recruited from two diabetes centres in South Western Sydney from May to November 2015. Data was collected using validated instruments.

Results:

Respondents with low health literacy were more likely to: a) have lower educational attainment; b) be migrants; and c) have depressed mood. 

Predictors of low diabetes self-management included: a) younger age group (AOR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.24-4.64); b) had post-secondary 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) had depressed mood (AOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.30-4.06).

Having high health literacy did not predict improved glycaemia, but having high knowledge specific to diabetes did.

 

Conclusion:

The finding that depressed mood predicted both low health literacy and low diabetes self-management stresses the importance of screening for and supporting people with depression, which in turn may empower them to engage in self-managing their condition. High level of diabetes specific knowledge predicted DSM and therefore improvement in diabetes educational programs may result in better practice of DSM behaviours.