Leila Masoudiyekta - Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
Motahareh Musavi Ghahfarokhii - department of nursing faculty, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
Fatemeh Maqsoodi - Ms.C of Epidemiology, Division Abadan of Medical Sciences university, Abadan, Iran

Background and Objective: Diabetes is a chronic disease that can cause acute and debilitating complications such as cardiovascular disease, blindness, and kidney failure. Inadequate self-care and health literacy are major barriers to diabetes management and affect patients' participation in self-care activities. This study aims to evaluate the patient's health literacy status with type ۲ diabetes in three areas of function, communication, and criticism and to determine the relationship between these factors and self-care behaviors in patients with diabetes.Materials and Methods:  A cross-sectional study was conducted on ۱۱۸ diabetic patients referred to diabetes clinic ۲۰۱۹ through a regular random sampling approach. The level of health literacy and its subscales in patients was assessed by a Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy standard questionnaire. In order to analyze the data, descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, and frequency and analytical statistics such as independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance, Chi-square test, and multivariate linear regression were performed by SPSS software version ۱۶.Results: the mean score for total health literacy was ۲۵.۵۱±۵.۷, which is rated as average.  The results showed a significant relationship between functional health literacy and communication health literacy (r = -۰.۴۸۱), communicative and critical health literacy (r = ۰.۷۲۶), and between functional and critical health literacy (r = -۰.۴۲۶). Total health literacy had a statistically significant relationship with functional health literacy (r = ۰.۴۵۶), communication (r = ۰.۴۹۶), and critical health literacy (r = ۰.۵۳۴). Conclusions: Considering that communication, critical and functional health literacy is related to total health literacy and preventive behaviors in diabetic patients, treatment seems necessary.

Health Literacy, diabetes type۲, Chronic illness