SELF-CARE, HEALTH LITERACY AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether there is a relationship between self-care, health literacy with glycemic control and identify its main predictors in people diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at a Family Health Center in Concepción, Chile. Material and Method: Quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study. 175 people participated responding instruments that consisted of bio-sociodemographic questions, Summary of Self-Care Diabetes Activities and Health Literacy Brief Assessment for Spanish-speaking adults, as well as pre-prandial glycemia and HbA1c to verify glycemic control. Results: Participants were mostly women (70.3%); average age 65.1 years; average years of schooling 9.3 years; with a partner (61.7%); pensioners (45.7%); per capita income, approximately $ 147,300; time since diagnose, approximately 11 years; using oral antiglycemic agents (63.4%); non-smokers (88.6%). Three areas of self-care were classified as inadequate: nutrition, physical activity and self-monitoring of glycemia; 20% of participants showed inadequate health literacy, with differences in educational level, income and pharmacological therapy; 65.8% with inadequate glycemic control. Conclusions: There was no relationship between self-care and health literacy with glycemic control. The type of pharmacological therapy was identified as the main predictor of glycemic control. There is evidence of inadequate self-care and a low compensation level, which leads to reflect on improving work in primary health care and increasing efforts to have a comprehensive model to maintain a compensated population and free of complications.