A personalized approach to deliver health care information to diabetic patients in community care clinics.

Taneya Y Koonce,Suzanne Hurley,Fei Ye,Nunzia B Giuse,Sheila V Kusnoor

doi:10.3163/1536-5050.103.3.004

Abstract

The study's purpose was to test the generalizability of an individualized information prescription model, which has been previously validated for educating patients about hypertension in emergency department and community health center settings. Study investigators assessed the effects of educational materials targeted to health literacy levels and learning styles on patients' diabetes knowledge in a community clinic setting. From May to August 2012, 160 patients were recruited and randomized into intervention (n = 81) and control (n = 79) groups. Inclusion criteria included 18 years or older, English or Spanish speaker, and a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Measures included modified versions of the Diabetes Knowledge Test and Subjective Numeracy Scale, along with brief health literacy and learning style assessments. Study team members contacted both groups after 2 and 6 weeks to reassess diabetes knowledge. The control group showed no significant change in diabetes knowledge at both follow-ups. In contrast, the mean number of diabetes knowledge questions answered correctly by the intervention group increased significantly after 2 weeks (Δ = 2.66, P = 0.000), which persisted at 6 weeks (Δ = 2.46, P = 0.00). This study showed that patients' knowledge about diabetes increased significantly after exposure to educational materials targeted to their health literacy levels and learning style preferences and that the model is transferrable among health conditions.

Highlights

More than 9% of the entire US population and 12% of US adults aged 20 and above have diabetes [1]
Studies have shown that health literacy—the ability to obtain, understand, and apply medical information—and numeracy—the ability to effectively use numbers in everyday life—are associated with factors affecting diabetes outcomes, such as self-efficacy and glycemic control [3,4,5,6,7,8]
Participants were distributed across the control and intervention groups for most characteristics, including age, language, gender, race, ethnicity, household income, family and personal histories of diabetes, and smoking status (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

More than 9% of the entire US population and 12% of US adults aged 20 and above have diabetes [1]. 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes by 2050. Studies have shown that health literacy—the ability to obtain, understand, and apply medical information—and numeracy—the ability to effectively use numbers in everyday life—are associated with factors affecting diabetes outcomes, such as self-efficacy and glycemic control [3,4,5,6,7,8]. Diabetes tends to be more prevalent in populations associated with higher levels of inadequate health literacy, such as low-income and minority populations. Diabetes affects 19% of federally qualified community health center patients, the majority of whom live below 200% of the federal poverty level [9].

Methods

Results

Conclusion