Prediction of Self-Care Behaviors among Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Tehran Based on Health Literacy in 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: Diabetes places a significant treatment responsibility on the patient. Additionally, health literacy plays a crucial role in managing chronic diseases such as diabetes. The objective of the present study is to predict self-care behaviors based on levels of health literacy in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional research project. It involved 250 patients with type 2 diabetes who were receiving care at hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The participants were chosen through cluster random sampling in 2020/2021. Data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire, having been checked for validity and reliability, including demographic information form, the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) questionnaire, and the Self-Care Activities of Diabetic Patients (SDSCA) questionnaire. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 16 and AMOS 20, utilizing descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), inferential statistics (correlation coefficient and regression), and structural equation modeling (SEM).Results: The average age of the patients was 58.70 years, with a standard deviation of 14.69. 53.6% of the participants were female, and 46.4% had a university education. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed a strong, statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.60, p-value 0.001) between health literacy and self-care. Additionally, the assessment and decision-making aspects of health literacy were found to predict 25% of the variance in self-care behaviors.Conclusion: The assessment of information, and decision-making to influence self-care in individuals with type 2 diabetes is paramount. According to these results, the health system can promote the public from receiving information to the level of evaluation and decision-making and application of information. This approach can enhance self-care practices for managing chronic diseases.