Table 3.
Characteristics of Participants, Stratified by Low or High Diabetes Literacy
| Variable | Low Diabetes Literacy (SKILLD Score <50%) (n=30) |
High Diabetes Literacy (SKILLD Score ≥50%) (n=20) |
P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 56.27 (13.09) | 46.95 (18.57) | .04 |
| Female sex, No. (%) | 20 (67) | 11 (55) | .41 |
| Marital status, No. (%) | .40 | ||
| Single | 2 (7) | 2 (10) | |
| Married | 17 (57) | 12 (60) | |
| Divorced or separated | 6 (20) | 1 (5) | |
| Widowed | 5 (17) | 5 (25) | |
| Needed interpreter, No. (%) | 30 (100) | 17 (85) | .03 |
| Annual family income (in US dollars), No. (%) | .08 | ||
| <20,000 | 29 (97) | 16 (80) | |
| 20,000-40,000 | 0 (0) | 3 (15) | |
| >40,000-60,000 | 1 (3) | 1 (5) | |
| Health insurance type, No. (%) | .64 | ||
| Private only | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | |
| Government only | 17 (57) | 13 (65) | |
| Both private and government | 12 (40) | 7 (35) | |
| Highest education level attained, No. (%) | .79 | ||
| No formal schooling | 12 (40) | 5 (25) | |
| Elementary education | 10 (33) | 8 (40) | |
| High school graduate | 5 (17) | 4 (20) | |
| College graduate | 3 (10) | 3 (15) | |
| Body mass index, mean (SD), kg/m2 | 30.42 (4.84) | 30.15 (3.90) | .84 |
| Body mass index category, No. (%)a | .25 | ||
| Normal | 5 (17) | 1 (5) | |
| Overweight | 9 (30) | 10 (50) | |
| Obese | 16 (53) | 9 (45) | |
| Duration of diabetes, mean (SD), y | 5.59 (0.17) | 4.32 (0.70) | .72 |
| Family history of diabetes, No. (%) | 14 (47) | 8 (40) | .64 |
| Diabetes treatment, No. (%) | .72 | ||
| Diet only | 1 (3) | 1 (5) | |
| Oral medications only | 20 (67) | 13 (65) | |
| Insulin only | 4 (13) | 1 (5) | |
| Both oral medications and insulin | 5 (17) | 5 (25) | |
| Diabetes-related complications, No. (%) | |||
| None | 12 (40) | 14 (70) | .04 |
| Retinopathy | 5 (17) | 2 (10) | .51 |
| Neuropathy | 12 (40) | 5 (25) | .27 |
| Nephropathy | 10 (33) | 4 (20) | .30 |
| Used glucometer | 24 (80) | 17 (85) | .65 |
| Diabetes process measures, No. (%) | |||
| Hemoglobin A1C within the past 6 mo | 28 (93) | 18 (90) | .67 |
| Urine microalbumin within the past 12 mo | 26 (87) | 18 (90) | .72 |
| Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol within past 12 mo |
27 (90) | 18 (90) | >.99 |
| Diabetes outcome measures, mean (SD) | |||
| Hemoglobin A1C, % | 7.86 (1.65) | 8.22 (1.65) | .46 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 131.37 (13.63) | 130.20 (18.09) | .80 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 68.13 (9.22) | 73.35 (9.26) | .06 |
| Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, mg/dL | 99.17 (37.29) | 99.35 (25.09) | .98 |
Abbreviation: SKILLD, Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes.
a
Normal body mass index was defined as 18.5-24.9 kg/m2; overweight, 25-29.9 kg/m2; obese, ≥30 kg/m2.