Conference Resources | Abstracts
September 3
rd
– 6
th
, 2014 | Toronto, Canada |
232
Poster Tour 18: Diabetes Projects in Developing Countries II
P142
Health literacy: a universal language in diverse diabetes care systems - a pilot project to test
health literacy of caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes in Kuwait
D. Al-Abdulrazzaq
1
, M. Al-Haddad
2
, M. AbdulRasoul
3
, I. Albasari
2
, A. Al-Taiar
3
1
Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, Kuwait, Kuwait,
2
Ministry of Health, Kuwait, Kuwait,
3
Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait, Kuwait
Introduction:
Health literacy is an increasingly recognized concept in diabetes care.The Newest Vital
Sign (NVS) is an English instrument testing health literacy using a nutrition label.No studies looked
into health literacy in the Arab world and no validated tool established to test health literacy in Arab-
speaking populations.We aim to translate and validate the NVS tool to Arabic and test it on a pilot of
Arabic-speaking caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes.
Methods:
Phase 1 (Production of the Arabic version): The original NVS was translated to Arabic then
reviewed by a panel of expertise.A modified Arabic version was then created and back-
translated.Phase 2 (Translation Validation): The original and back- translated versions were compared
based on the comparability of language and similarity of interpretation.Phase 3 (Pilot Project): the
Arabic version is used to measure health literacy among a pilot of caregivers of pediatric patients of
type 1 diabetes.
Results:
The mean comparability and similarity scores were accepted for each item on the Arabic
version (˂2.5) except for three items.These three items were not reviewed and accepted as is as it is
the official presentation of product information on food labels in Kuwait. The mean NVS score for the
pilot was 3.2 ± 2.1. Children of caregivers with adequate health literacy scores did not have poor
glycemic control (HbA1C ≥ 9%). Children of caregivers with likely limited health literacy did not have
good control (HbA1C ≤7.5%).
Conclusion:
The Arabic version of the NVS tool seems to be an accepted tool to measure health
literacy in Arabic-speaking populations. Although based on small numbers, limited health literacy of
caregivers seems to be linked to inadequate glycemic control of their children. Further link should be
studies on a larger sample in order to be generalized to Arabian populations.
