Assessing Diabetes Health Literacy, Knowledge and Empowerment in Northern Portugal - New Contributions in Information Systems and Technologies - page 61

Table 1. DES-SF results

In general, I believe that I (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

1-… know what part(s) of taking care of
my diabetes that I am dissatisfied with.

8 28 51 111 62 3.73 1.03

2-… am able to turn my diabetes goals
into a workable plan.

6 28 84 106 36 3.53 0.94

3-… can try out different ways of
overcoming barriers to my diabetes
goals.

2 30 130 77 21 3.33 0.81

4-… can find ways to feel better about
having diabetes.

5 42 56 111 46 3.58 1.02

5 -… know the positive ways I cope with
diabetes-related stress.

7 46 59 92 56 3.55 1.09

6 -… can ask for support for having and
caring for my diabetes when I need it.

0 11 27 85 137 4.34 0.83

7 -… know what helps me stay
motivated to care for my diabetes.

1 17 77 122 43 3.73 0.83

8 -… know enough about myself as a
person to make diabetes care choices
that are right for me.

3 20 98 105 34 3.57 0.86

Legend: (1) Strongly Disagree; (2) Somewhat Disagree; (3) Neutral; (4) Somewhat Agree;
(5) Strongly Agree; (6) Mean; (7); Standard Deviation.

QoL evaluated through EQ-5D index presented the mean value of 0.65±0.3. The
problems of mobility and the pain/discomfort were the most highlighted, respectively
by 42.7% and 43.8%.
As regards inferential analysis, we focused on the study of the correlation among
the ability to control diabetes, the knowledge and the QoL and among these three
scales and socio-demographic and clinical variables. Using the Spearman correlation
coefficient it was found a significant positive (though small) correlation between the
ability to control and the knowledge (r=0.17, p<0.01), the ability to control and QoL
(r=0.30, p<0.001), and the knowledge and QoL (r=0.15, p<0.05).
In what concerns gender, we found that men evaluated more positively the ability
of disease control (t=2,82, p<0.01) and QoL (t=5.54, p<0.001); there were no
statistical differences in what concerns knowledge (table 2).
As regards age, we evidenced high significant statistical differences in the three
scales under analysis, i.e. the younger perceived a higher ability of self-control
(t=2.61, p <0.01), knowledge (t =2.13, p<0.05) and better QoL (t=5.28, p<0.001)
(table 2).
We also found significant statistical differences among education levels and the
ability of self-control (t =-2.76, p<0.01), knowledge (t=-2.72, p<0.01) and QoL
(t=-3.16, p<0.01), i.e. those people who were more educated had better self-control,
knowledge and QoL (table 2).
We found no significant statistical differences between the variables under study
and practice of exercise, glycated hemoglobin and BMI