Diabetes self-care is explained as an illness-related coping behavior. Health literacy is an important predictor in self-care behaviors. However, little is known about their association with illness perception in Korean immigrants with diabetes. This study aimed to examine the relationships among health literacy, illness perception, and diabetes self-care in Korean-speaking immigrants with diabetes. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. A convenience sample of 52 Korean adults with diabetes in Dallas-Fort Worth areas completed a survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 25) with statistical significance at α < .05. The mean of health literacy was high (11.1, SD = 1.1, ranges 0-12). There were no statistically significant associations between health literacy, illness perception, and diabetes self-care. Language barriers are considered a literacy issue, but health literacy and limited English proficiency must be approached differently by health care providers.
Keywords: Korean-speaking immigrants; diabetes self-care; health literacy; illness perception.