Literature trends and hidden patterns in health literacy studies among individuals with type 1 diabetes: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

The rising prevalence and incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) highlights its impact on quality of life, long-term health complications, and the economic burden it poses across socio-economic strata. Effective management of T1D demands robust self-care skills, which are significantly influenced by health literacy (HL) levels; studies have shown that lower HL is associated with poorer health outcomes. This scoping review protocol is designed to identify literature trends and hidden patterns in research assessing HL among individuals with T1D. The review will consider studies that address HL in individuals with T1D across all age groups and settings. Studies published in English or those with an available HTML version will be included to allow automatic translation of the contents for non-English records. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR 2020 framework, this scoping review will systematically search electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Web of Science (WoS) without time restrictions. Two independent reviewers will assess each study for eligibility and perform data extraction using a standardized form. • The review aims to map out the existing research landscape on HL in T1D and highlight areas requiring further investigation. • It seeks to establish connections between HL and self-care efficacy in T1D, contributing to improved patient education and management strategies. • Findings will inform future research directions and potentially influence policy and clinical practices surrounding diabetes care management.

Keywords

• Type 1 diabetes
• Health literacy
• Scoping review
• Patient education
• Diabetes management
• Quality of life