Journal of diabetes
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Journal of diabetes · Jun 2011
Is diabetes-specific health literacy associated with diabetes-related outcomes in older adults?
The present study examined the association between a measure of diabetes-specific health literacy and three different Type 2 diabetes outcome indicators in a national sample of older adults. ⋯ No previous single study has focused on the relationship between diabetes-specific health literacy and multiple diabetes-related outcomes. The direct association of diabetes-specific health literacy with patients' assessment of their self-care practice acumen is useful information for the design of effective patient intervention and/or communication strategies. Health literacy is a broad, multidimensional construct that bridges basic literacy skills and various health and illness contexts. Because it is so important to adults engaged in the self-management of chronic illness, indicators of disease-specific knowledge and/or understanding should be included in efforts to measure health literacy.