An investigation of the diabetes health literacy level and compliance to the treatment in patients with diabetes in Turkey

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to investigate the relationship between the diabetes health literacy level and compliance to the treatment in individuals with diabetes. Material and Method: This descriptive study was conducted in the Internal Diseases-1 and Endocrinology clinics of a hospital between January 2019 and April 2020. The target population was the patients who were hospitalized in these clinics due to Type-II diabetes between the dates when data were collected. Sampling was performed using the sampling method with a known population, and the sample was composed of 237 patients. Data were collected through the Socio-demographic Form, the Diabetes Health Literacy Scale, and the Scale for Compliance to the Treatment in Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Data analysis included Kolmogorov Smirnov test, numbers, percentages, Cronbach’s Alpha, t-test, Kruskal Wallis, analysis of variance, chi-square test, and correlation test. Result: This study found the health literacy scale total mean score as above-average (38.41±8.59), and the compliance to the treatment mean score as moderate (83.14±12.35). A negative and significant relationship was found between compliance to the treatment and diabetes health literacy scale total score and the communicative health literacy and critical health literacy mean scores (p<0.001). In line with the results of the study, compliance to the treatment in patients with diabetes increases as their diabetes health literacy increases. Conclusion: It is recommended to provide individuals who have diabetes with trainings for increasing their diabetes health literacy levels to increase their compliance to the treatment.

Keywords

• chronic diseases
• health literacy
• diabetes mellitus
• compliance
• treatment

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