| By the most recent estimates, 18.8 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 7 million are believed to be living with undiagnosed diabetes (American Diabetes Association Task Force, 2014). Diabetes often has hidden emotional burdens, stresses and barriers that affects adherence to recommended treatment plans. Treatment adherence usually refers to whether patients understand the disease and its management. Understanding barriers to adherence may help identify interventions needed to increase and improve outcomes. There are diabetic patients with health literacies who are not aware of the risk factors and complications that are associated with elevated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels. Health literacy is a constellation of skills, including the ability to perform basic reading and numerical tasks required to function in the health care environment (Schillinger et al., 2002). Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes. It is necessary to educate with DSME in order to prevent and delay complications of diabetes populations. A Diabetes Self-Management education can support strategies for healthy behaviors and lifestyle changes. The objective of this capstone project is to investigate the knowledge base of type 2 diabetes patients that are contributing to non-adherence to treatment management and elevated HbA1c levels.;Key words: Health Literacy, HbA1C, Diabetes Education, Diabetes Self-knowledge.. |
