Meeting abstract

THE CONNECTION OF HEALTH LITERACY WITH DIABETES COMPLICATIONS ON LEWER EXTREMITIEST

Katarina Vukas orcid.org/0000-0001-6224-6119 ; General County Hospital Požega, Osječka 107, Požega, Croatia
Damir Matoković ; General County Hospital Požega, Osječka 107, Požega, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. Hutlera 10, Osijek, Croatia
Anita Vukšić orcid.org/0000-0001-7975-5593 ; High School Pakrac, Matije Gupca 10, Pakrac, Croatia
Božica Lovrić orcid.org/0000-0002-2762-6439 ; General County Hospital Požega, Osječka 107, Požega, Croatia

Abstract

Introduction: Sugar disease is considered to be one of the most important public health problems and fifth is the leading cause of death worldwide. Only health-care personnel can make decisions regarding health care, disease prevention, and health promotion in their daily lives with a view to keep it or improve the quality of life.
Aim: To examine the level of health literacy with diabetes patients. To determine the connection of socio-demographic data with health literacy level. To examine the connection of health literacy levels with the knowledge of diabetes, frequency of complications and complications frequency on lower extremities.
Methods: 130 diabetes patients participated in the research, average age was 66,79 (from 18 to 90 years of age). The research was conducted in General County Hospital Požega from June until August 2018. The data was collected via questionnaires which included socio-demographic data, diabetes questions, SAHLSA-50 for the health literacy assessment and feet checkup and medical documentation analysis.
Results: 46,9% men and 53,1% women participated in the study. Most of participants finished highschool and live with their spouses. 52,3% participants are health literate. From all 10 questions, the highest percentage of accurate responses was 65,4% to question 7: „Which feet changes should be told to your doctor?“, and the lowest was to question 8: „How do you clip your toenails?. Only 5,4% participants circled the answer nail file , and 63,1% chose the answer toenail scissors. The most common microvascular complication is polyneuropathy with 64,6% and then retinopathy with 33,1% of participants. Out of all macrovascular complications, 55,4% have cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension is present with 83% of participants. Hyperkeratosis (46,2%), toenail changes (34,6%) and dry skin(18,5%) are most common in feet changes.
Conclusion: More than a half participants are health literate. There is a connection in health literacy level regarding socio-demographic data, questions about diabetes, complications frequency and complications frequency on lower extremities. Insufficient knowledge level of proper feet hygiene was noticed with participants.

Keywords

diabetes complications; diabetes; health literacy

Hrčak ID:

218596

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/218596

Publication date:

31.12.2018.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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