Factors associated with limited health literacy (n=427)
| Variables | Adequate HL | Limited HL | P value | aOR | 95% CI | P value |
| n (%) | n (%) | (univariate) | (multivariate) | |||
| Age (mean±SD) | 57.17±10.39 | 58.63±10.72 | 0.179‡ | 1.00 | 0.97–1.02 | 0.757 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Male | 59 (39.9) | 110 (39.4) | 0.930 | |||
| Female | 89 (60.1) | 169 (60.6) | ||||
| Ethnicity | ||||||
| Malay | 72 (49.7) | 113 (40.9) | 0.040§ | 0.82 | 0.45–1.49 | 0.506 |
| Chinese | 23 (15.9) | 73 (26.4) | 1.08 | 0.50–2.34 | 0.837 | |
| Indian | 50 (34.5) | 90 (32.6) | Reference | |||
| Marital status | ||||||
| Single/divorced/separated/widowed | 33 (22.4) | 66 (23.7) | 0.779 | |||
| Married | 114 (77.6) | 213 (76.3) | ||||
| Highest education | ||||||
| Primary school | 29 (19.6) | 103 (37.2) | <0.001§ | 1.91 | 0.68–5.35 | 0.217 |
| Junior high school | 33 (22.3) | 93 (33.6) | 2.00 | 0.83–4.84 | 0.124 | |
| High school | 53 (35.8) | 60 (21.7) | 1.41 | 0.64–3.07 | 0.394 | |
| University/Masters/PhD | 33 (22.3) | 21 (7.6) | Reference | |||
| Employment status | ||||||
| Yes | 59 (40.4) | 92 (33.3) | 0.088‡ | 0.85 | 0.43–1.71 | 0.652 |
| No, never worked | 33 (22.6) | 90 (32.6) | 1.16 | 0.60–2.22 | 0.66 | |
| No, stopped working or retired | 54 (37.0) | 94 (34.1) | Reference | |||
| Monthly income | ||||||
| Less than RM1000 | 70 (47.3) | 173 (62) | 0.003‡ | 0.77 | 0.41–1.43 | 0.401 |
| Equal to or more than RM1000 | 78 (52.7) | 106 (38) | Reference | |||
| Health Insurance | ||||||
| No | 103 (70.1) | 226 (81.6) | 0.007§ | 1.34 | 0.75–2.40 | 0.319 |
| Yes | 44 (29.9) | 51 (18.4) | Reference | |||
| English fluency | ||||||
| Not fluent | 69 (46.6) | 205 (73.5) | <0.001§ | 2.36 | 1.30–4.30 | 0.005§ |
| Fluent | 79 (53.4) | 74 (26.5) | Reference | |||
| Bahasa Malaysia fluency | ||||||
| Not fluent | 21 (14.2) | 66 (23.7) | 0.021§ | 1.30 | 0.60–2.83 | 0.51 |
| Fluent | 127 (85.8) | 213 (76.3) | Reference | |||
| Diabetes duration (years) | 5.60±3.14 | 5.75±3.65 | 0.686 | |||
| Attended diabetes education session(s) | ||||||
| Yes | 91 (61.5) | 108 (38.7) | <0.001§ | 0.42 | 0.27–0.68 | <0.001§ |
| No | 57 (38.5) | 171 (61.3) | Reference | |||
| Perceived Social Support (MSPSS Score) (mean±SD) | 5.58±0.93 | 5.05±0.86 | <0.001* | 0.52 | 0.40–0.69 | <0.001§ |
| Glycaemic control* | ||||||
| Have not achieved target | 97 (65.5) | 197 (70.6) | 0.282 | |||
| Achieved target | 51 (34.5) | 82 (29.4) | ||||
| Blood pressure control† | ||||||
| Have not achieved target | 49 (33.1) | 81 (29) | 0.384 | |||
| Achieved target | 99 (66.9) | 198 (71) | ||||
| Diabetes knowledge test (MDKT Score) (mean±SD) | 8.06±2.11 | 7.51±2.39 | 0.019§ | 0.99 | 0.89–1.10 | 0.819 |
*HbA1c ≤ 6.5% or FBS ≤ 7.0.
†Blood pressure ≤ 135/75 mm Hg.
‡p<0.25.
§p<0.05.
aOR, adjusted OR; HbA1c, haemoglobin A1c; MDKT, michigan diabetes knowledge test; MSPSS, multidimensional scale of perceived social support.