Health literacy among people at risk or with type 2 diabetes in Norwegian primary care—A cross sectional study

Abstract

Aims This study aims to describe health literacy for people at risk of type 2 diabetes and people with type 2 diabetes using the HLS-EU-Q12, and further examine the association between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, well-being, overall health and quality of life, and health literacy.

Material and methods We performed a cross-sectional study among 142 people at risk of type 2 diabetes and 75 people with type 2 diabetes from four primary care clinics in Norway. These data are baseline data from a randomized controlled trial which seeks to evaluate an interprofessional follow-up intervention. Multiple regression analysis was applied to explore associations to health literacy.

Results Inadequate health literacy (sum score <33) was found among 30.2% of people at risk of type 2 diabetes and among 25.7% of people with type 2 diabetes. For people at risk of type 2 diabetes, higher level of education was significantly associated with higher health literacy. Better well-being and quality of life was significantly associated with higher health literacy for both groups.

Conclusions The primary health care services should pay greater attention to assessing HL, well-being, and quality of life to facilitate the identification of people at risk of type 2 diabetes with insufficient self- management strategies to prevent or delay the development of manifest disease and its complications.