title: Ayurpharmacoepidemiology Perspective: Health Literacy (Knowledge and Practice) Among Older Diabetes Patients Visiting Ayurveda Teaching Hospitals in India.
abstract: Older Indian diabetics lack proper health literacy making them vulnerable to complications. Assessment of health literacy was done by hospital-based cross-sectional study. Face-to-face interview was conducted by pretested structured questionnaires. Diabetes patients aged ≥60 years consisted of 56.22% males and 43.78% females; in addition, 34.2% respondents were without formal schooling. Diabetes was known to 63.56% respondents. Total knowledge and practice score of the respondents was good (18.9% and 35.1%), average (30.7% and 46.9%), and poor (50.4% and 18%), respectively. Knowledge and practice score was strongly associated ( P < .01) with religion, educational status, and diabetes duration with positive relationship ( R2= 0.247, P < .01) between knowledge and practice score. The study highlights lack of health literacy among older diabetics undergoing ayurveda management. Baseline statistics will pave the way toward ayurpharmacoepidemiology.
authors.affiliation: 1 Gananath Sen Institute of Ayurvidya and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Parikshit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.affiliation: 2 Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Khurshid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Natasha
authors.affiliation: 2 Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Liaquat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of AYUSH, Government of West Bengal, Silampur RH, Malda, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Tapas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bhaduri
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of AYUSH, Government of West Bengal, Habaspur PHC, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Tushar Kanti
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: 5 Rajib Gandhi Memorial Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Belley-Sankarpur, Kankinara, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sayantan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bera
authors.affiliation: 2 Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Debdeep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: 6 Institute of Post Graduate Ayurvedic Education & Research at SVSP Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debnath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012067:Religion
keywords: ayurpharmacoepidemiology; diabetes; health literacy; knowledge; practice