Exploring the Association between Health Literacy and Diabetes Risk in Adults: Insights from a Pilot Study in Leiria.

Abstract

Introduction: Low levels of health literacy (HL) are related to behaviors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, in Europe, there is still little knowledge about this relationship, and whether improving HL could be an effective strategy for preventing the disease. Therefore, this study aims to measure the association between HL and the risk of developing T2D in adults living in the municipality of Leiria.

Methods: Data from the Longitudinal Health Literacy Study of the Municipality of Leiria were used. The sample (pilot study) consists of 175 individuals aged 18 or over. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score was used to determine an individual's risk of developing T2D. The short version of the European Health Literacy Questionnaire was applied to assess participants' HL levels. Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe participants' sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, education, and monthly income). The analysis of the relationship between the level of HL and FINDRISC score was performed using a multivariate linear analysis. The analysis was conducted in three nested statistical models, and adjusted for age, sex, and educational level.

Results: According to the FINDRISC, 35.7% of respondents have a low risk, 26.8% a slightly moderate risk, 8.3% a moderate risk, 24.2% a high risk, and 5.1% a very high risk of developing T2D diabetes in the next 10 years. In the statistical model adjusted for age, sex, and education, individuals with inadequate levels of HL presented an average of 4.62 points more on the FINDRISC scale than individuals with excellent levels of HL (95% confidence interval: 0.558-8.677).

Discussion/conclusion: The risk of developing T2D is increased in people with lower levels of HL. It is important to invest in public health programs that empower citizens with knowledge to better manage their health.