Poor numeracy skills were common in patients with diabetes. Low diabetes-related numeracy skills were associated with worse perceived self-efficacy, fewer self-management behaviors, and possibly poorer glycemic control.

Background Little is known about disease specific knowledge in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We developed and examined the results of a survey to characterize kidney disease knowledge. Design Survey about kidney disease knowledge, with questions developed by experts. Setting and Participants: 401 adult patients with CKD (Stages 1–5) attending a nephrology clinic from April to October 2009. Outcomes & Measurements We calculated survey reliability using the Kuder-Richardson-20 coefficient, and established construct validity by testing a priori hypotheses of associations between the survey and patient characteristics. We descriptively analyzed survey responses and applied linear regression analyses to evaluate associations with patient characteristics. Health literacy was measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Results Participants median age was 58 (25th-75th percentile, 46–68) years, 83% were White, 18% had limited literacy, and 77% had CKD Stages 3–5. The 28 question knowledge survey had good reliability (KR-20=0.72), and mean (SD) knowledge score was 66% (15%). In support of construct validity of our knowledge survey, bivariate analysis shows that scores are associated with age (β, −0.01 per ten years; 95% CI, −0.02–−0.005; p=0.003), formal education (β, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03–0.15; p=0.004), health literacy (β, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.03–0.10; p=0.001), kidney education class participation (β, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01–0.09; p=0.009), knowing someone else with CKD (β, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02–0.08; p=0.001), and awareness of one’s own CKD diagnosis (β, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.04–0.10; p<0.001). Findings were similar in adjusted analyses. Limitations Recruitment from one clinic limits generalizabilty of findings. Conclusions For patients with CKD, this kidney disease knowledge survey (KiKS) is reliable and valid, and identifies areas of and risk factors for poor kidney knowledge. Further study is needed to determine the impact of CKD knowledge on self-care behaviors and clinical outcomes.

Limited health literacy is common in the United States and associates with poor clinical outcomes. Little is known about the effect of health literacy in patients with advanced kidney disease. In this prospective cohort study we describe the prevalence of limited health literacy and examine its association with the risk for mortality in hemodialysis patients. We enrolled 480 incident chronic hemodialysis patients from 77 dialysis clinics between 2005 and 2007 and followed them until April 2008. Measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, 32% of patients had limited (Ͻ9th grade reading level) and 68% had adequate health literacy (Ն9th grade reading level). Limited health literacy was more likely in patients who were male and non-white and who had fewer years of education. Compared with adequate literacy, limited health literacy associated with a higher risk for death (HR 1.54; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.36) even after adjustment for age, sex, race, and diabetes. In summary, limited health literacy is common and associates with higher mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients. Addressing health literacy may improve survival for these patients.

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While low health literacy and suboptimal medication adherence are more prevalent in racial/ethnic minority groups than Whites, little is known about the relationship between these factors in adults with diabetes, and whether health literacy or numeracy might explain racial/ethnic disparities in diabetes medication adherence. Previous work in HIV suggests health literacy mediates racial differences in adherence to anti-retroviral treatment, but no study to date has explored numeracy as a mediator of the relationship between race/ethnicity and medication adherence. This study tested whether health literacy and/or numeracy were related to diabetes medication adherence, and whether either factor explained racial differences in adherence. Using path analytic models, we explored the predicted pathways between racial status, health literacy, diabetes-related numeracy, general numeracy and adherence to diabetes medications. After adjustment for covariates, African American race was associated with poor medication adherence (r=−0.10, p<0.05). Health literacy was associated with adherence (r=.12, p<0.02), but diabetes-related numeracy and general numeracy were not related to adherence. Furthermore, health literacy reduced the effect of race on adherence to non-significance, such that African American race was no longer directly associated with less medication adherence (r=−0.09, p=.14). Diabetes medication adherence promotion interventions should address patient health literacy limitations.