PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - ALSharit, Bushra A.
AU  - Alhalal, Eman A.
TI  - Effects of health literacy on type 2 diabetic patients’ glycemic control, self-management, and quality of life
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2022.43.5.20210917
DP  - 2022 May 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 465--472
VI  - 43
IP  - 5
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/43/5/465.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/43/5/465.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2022 May 01; 43
AB  - Objectives: To examine the pathway in which health literacy affects diabetic patients’ quality of life (QoL) with self-care management skills and glycemic control levels (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) mediating the relationship.Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out between April 2019 and September 2019. A convenience sample of participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from 3 primary healthcare centers, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using structured interviews and HbA1c levels were collected from medical files. Structural equation modeling was also used.Results: Among the 256 participants, 27.3% had a marginal level of health literacy and 35.5% had an inadequate level of health literacy. Health literacy positively affects self-care management, glycemic control (HbA1c), and QoL directly and indirectly. Self-care management partially mediates this relationship.Conclusion: Healthcare providers need to assess health literacy and develop interventions that enhance diabetic patients’ health literacy because it influences self-care management skills, glycemic control, and patients’ QoL. Health literacy should be considered as a key for health education and healthcare encounter to improve health outcomes.