The Relationship between Health Literacy and Health Promoting Behaviors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND: Health promoting behaviors are known to be a key factor in managing type 2 diabetes and improving the quality of life in diabetic patients. However, there is little known about the factors influencing these behaviors in diabetic patients. This study aimed to find the relationship between the health literacy and health promoting behaviors in patients with type II diabetes. METHODS: This correlational study was conducted from August to September 2016 on 175 eligible diabetic patients (20 to 65 year-old) who referred to the selected centers of diabetes control in Ahvaz City. Patients were chosen using convenience non-probable sampling. Data were collected by diabetic patients’ health promoting behaviors’ questionnaire and health literacy questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22, descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. RESULT: The mean scores for health promoting behaviors and health literacy were determined 100.45±19.82 and 76.14±15.26, respectively. The highest and lowest scores in health promoting behaviors belonged to nutrition (26.11±6.85) and physical activity (6.70±2.75), respectively. There was a significant relationship between all dimensions of health promoting behaviors and health literacy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Since health literacy has a positive relationship with health promoting behaviors in diabetic patients, health care providers need to concentrate on increasing the health literacy of their patients rather than solely concentrating on increasing their knowledge, thereby facilitating the development of health promoting behaviors in patients.