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Adequate functional health literacy is associated with better sleep quality and longer sleep duration in patients with type 2 diabetes in Bangladesh

In a cross-sectional study of 401 patients with type 2 diabetes in Dhaka, only 27.3% had adequate functional health literacy (FHL). Adequate FHL was significantly associated with higher sleep metrics, with longer sleep duration (AOR = 9.17) and higher quality sleep (AOR = 5.67) increasing the likelihood of adequate FHL.

Last updated: Aug 6, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Association of Functional Health Literacy Among Patients With Type-2 Diabetes in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study.

observational

Islam MM, Hossain SB, Rahman KM, Sinthia MK, Chowdhury ABMA, Khan S · Health literacy research and practice (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Cross-sectional (no follow-up)
Intervention: No intervention; observational study assessing FHL levels and their association with sleep metrics
Outcome: Functional health literacy (measured by Bengali S-TOFHLA), sleep duration, sleep quality, glycemic control (FBS, HbA1c)
Effect Size: AOR = 9.17 for longer sleep duration, AOR = 5.67 for higher quality sleep
Population: 401 patients with type 2 diabetes from three diabetes centers in Dhaka, Bangladesh (59% female, 34.9% rural)

Result:

PubMed: 42545221DOI: 10.3928/24748307-20260409-02

Mechanism Graph

Higher functional health literacy enables better understanding of diabetes self-management instructions
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Better self-management leads to improved glycemic control and overall health
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Improved health may contribute to better sleep quality and duration
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Result: Adequate FHL is associated with better sleep metrics

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design cannot establish causality; reverse causation possible (better sleep may improve cognitive function and health literacy)
  • ⚠Study conducted in Dhaka only, limiting generalizability to other regions of Bangladesh
  • ⚠Self-reported sleep metrics may be subject to recall bias

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of patients with type 2 diabetes in Dhaka have adequate functional health literacy?▼

Only 27.3% of the 401 participants had adequate functional health literacy.

How is sleep quality related to functional health literacy in this study?▼

Higher quality sleep was significantly associated with adequate functional health literacy, with an adjusted odds ratio of 5.67.

What tool was used to measure functional health literacy?▼

A Bengali adaptation of the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA) was used.

Did the study find a link between glycemic control and health literacy?▼

Yes, higher glucose levels were linked to reduced odds of adequate functional health literacy (AOR < 1), indicating that poor glycemic control is associated with lower health literacy.

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References

  1. 1.Islam MM, Hossain SB, Rahman KM, Sinthia MK, Chowdhury ABMA, Khan S. "Association of Functional Health Literacy Among Patients With Type-2 Diabetes in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study.." Health literacy research and practice, 2026. PMID: 42545221 DOI: 10.3928/24748307-20260409-02
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.