ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of health literacy measures on health behaviors and cumulative glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Method: Particularly, this mixed-method study investigated the effects of repeated measurement of knowledge about health, health behaviors, and glycemic control in T2DM patients, along with validating the program’s effectiveness. The quantitative research design used a quasi-experimental approach with a sample group of 30 participants selected through purposive sampling who received the health knowledge program. Qualitative data were gathered through interviews with a simple random sample of 10 participants and a snowball sample of seven participants until data saturation was achieved. The research tools used in this study included a health knowledge program, a health knowledge assessment questionnaire, and the results of glycemic control tests from the hospital. The quantitative statistics included percentages, means, standard deviations, and One-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Results: The quantitative research findings revealed that 1) T2DM patients showed significant improvements in health knowledge, health behaviors, and glycemic control with each repeated measurement, which was statistically significant at 0.01. 2) The developed health knowledge program, which included activities to enhance knowledge, demonstrate and practice health data access skills, exchange learning experiences, problem solving, analyzing health-related advertisements, and case studies for decision-making, led to improved experiences and informed decision-making in health behavior selection. This results in a reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, congruent with the context of the patient’s lifestyle. Conclusion: The results of the health knowledge program showed significant improvements through repeated measurements of health knowledge, health behaviors, and glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Therefore, relevant organizations can utilize health knowledge programs to enhance the capabilities of health service systems in alignment with the context and lifestyle of patients with diabetes