Health literacy and self-care among patients with chronic kidney disease in a primary care setting.
10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2023-068
- Author:
Han-Kwee HO
1
;
Eileen Yi-Ling KOH
2
;
Adina ABDULLAH
3
;
Ngiap-Chuan TAN
2
Author Information
1. SingHealth Polyclinics Eunos, Singapore.
2. Department of Singhealth Polyclinic Research, Singapore.
3. Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Behaviour;
chronic kidney disease;
health literacy;
motivation;
self-care;
self-efficacy
- MeSH:
Humans;
Male;
Female;
Health Literacy;
Middle Aged;
Self Care;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Aged;
Adult;
Primary Health Care;
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/therapy*;
Singapore;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Aged, 80 and over;
Young Adult;
Hypertension/therapy*
- From:Singapore medical journal
2025;66(6):307-313
- CountrySingapore
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION:The study objective was to determine the levels of self-care and health literacy (HL) and their associations among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
METHODS:This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study conducted in a public primary care setting in Singapore. A total of 289 participants aged 21-80 years with hypertension were recruited. Self-care profiles were measured using the Hypertension Self-Care Profile (HTN-SCP; range 0-240, domain range 0-80). Health literacy was measured using the Short-Form Health Literacy Scale (HLS-SF12; range 0-50, limited literacy ≤33).
RESULTS:The mean self-care score was 182.7 (standard deviation [SD] 23.2). The median HL score was 34.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 31.9-40.3), and 31.1% of participants had limited HL. Self-care was not associated with age, CKD status, household income and education, but was associated with gender and HL score. In the final regression model, lower HL scores (adjusted β = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7 to 1.36, P < 0.001) and male gender (adjusted β = -5.29, 95% CI -10.56 to -0.03, P = 0.049) were associated with lower self-care scores. The HL scores were associated with self-care domains of self-efficacy (HL: β = 0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.42, P < 0.001), motivation (HL: β = 0.40, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.53, P < 0.001) and behaviour (HL: β = 0.38, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.50, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION:Thirty-one percent of the participants had limited HL. Self-care was not associated with age, race, CKD status, household income or education. Male gender and limited HL were associated with lower self-care. Self-care was associated with self-efficacy, motivation and behaviour. Future research could focus on more targeted approaches to improve self-care and HL among patients with CKD.
