Improving Diabetes Condition Through Health Literacy: A Case Study From Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: The global challenge in managing diabetes is the low level of patient health literacy. Health professionals have promoted the use of technology as an effort to improve patient health literacy. However, the data shows health literacy of urban area patients is higher than in rural areas. Also, many studies have focused on health literacy by using a quantitative approach and few studies have explored this issue more deeply to understand a patient’s real story about health literacy after they use the diabetes application. Method: We conducted a qualitative approach by using in-depth interviews to assess ten patients’ health literacy from one of the rural areas in Indonesia, before and after using the diabetes application. Results: The results showed that there was a change in the patients’ habit to take care of themselves more independently through the diabetes application compared to when they were more dependent on their families before they utilized the diabetes application. Conclusion: This study proved that health literacy could improve by using the diabetes application for patients in rural areas.