Patricia Isela Regalado highlights the crucial role of health literacy in improving diabetes management among Hispanic adults in the US, emphasising culturally tailored education and community support to bridge gaps and reduce risks.
Patricia Isela Regalado’s article for My American Nurse argues that safer diabetes care for Hispanic adults begins with health literacy: the ability to find, understand and use health information in daily life. That matters because type 2 diabetes demands constant decisions about glucose checks, insulin timing, food choices, symptom recognition and follow-up care, and limited understanding can turn routine self-management into a safety risk.
The article ties that argument to wider evidence showing that Hispanic adults in the United States face a heavier diabetes burden and more barriers to care, including language differences, poverty, transport problems, insurance gaps and limited access to culturally appropriate education. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that diagnosed diabetes is more common among Hispanic adults than among non-Hispanic White adults, and that rates vary across Hispanic subgroups. In that context, the piece says health literacy is not just an individual skill but also a responsibility for healthcare systems that must present information in ways patients can actually use.
Research in the article’s reference base supports that point. A systematic review in Public Health Nutrition found that studies of health literacy in Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes have used a range of tools, but that more validation is needed for instruments designed specifically for this population. Other studies cited in the article link limited health literacy with worse diabetes outcomes, more barriers to diet and medicine management, and poorer blood sugar control. One study of underserved English- and Spanish-speaking adults found that Spanish speakers had lower health literacy and worse outcomes, while another showed that low health literacy was associated with higher HbA1c levels and more hospital use. Together, those findings suggest that the problem is not simply knowledge, but the ability to act on that knowledge consistently and confidently.
The article also highlights what helps. Culturally tailored teaching, plain language, visual aids and the teach-back method can improve understanding, especially when education reflects familiar foods, family roles and preferred languages. It points to evidence that adapting self-management programmes for Hispanic adults with low health literacy is feasible, and that community health workers such as promotoras can help bridge the gap between clinic visits and real life. The practical message is straightforward: ask patients how they learn best, use interpreters when needed, confirm understanding step by step and make diabetes education fit the person rather than forcing the person to fit the education.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
