Functional Health Literacy and Self-Care Behaviors Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients at a University Teaching Hospital in Kigali

Abstract

Background Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a significant health burden in high-income countries and emerging in sub-Sahara African countries, including Rwanda. Prevention and treatment of T2DM are imperative and need to focus on functional health literacy and self-care practices among people with diabetes. Objective To determine if functional health literacy is associated with self-care behaviors among T2DM patients. Method This study was a descriptive cross-sectional design conducted at a University Teaching Hospital in Kigali. The sample comprised of 223 T2DM patients recruited from the university outpatient department. The questionnaire was developed from two studies.  Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results Results indicated a low-level of functional health literacy, with a wide range of scores from 6.5% to 93.5%, and a mean of 51.66 (SD 15.77).The majority of 123 (55.3%) had inadequate functional health literacy and self-care behaviors. There was a strong association between functional health literacy and self-care behaviors (p < 0.001). Conclusion The level of functional health literacy among T2DM patients needs to be increased and patients should be highly encouraged to adhere to self-care behaviors. Future research could involve an interventional study to discover the best method to educate T2DM patients. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; functional health literacy; self-care behaviors; patients T2DM; sub-Saharan Africa