RESUMEN
Objective To investigate and analyze the health literacy and nutritional characteristics of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with diabetes mellitus in Huizhou, and to analyze its influencing factors. Methods MHD patients with treatment time ≥ 3 mon in Huizhou from January 2016 to December 2019 were enrolled, including 320 patients with diabetic nephropathy and 320 patients with simple nephropathy. Demographic characteristics, health literacy level and nutritional status of all patients were collected to analyze the risk factors affecting the health and nutrition status of patients. Results The proportion of subjects with healthy living habits, nutritional knowledge, health literacy, normal Hb and ALB levels among diabetic nephropathy patients was lower than that of patients with simple nephropathy ( P < 0.05 ). Age ≥ 55 years old, education level below junior high school, irregular living habits, and ignorance of nutrition knowledge were the independent influencing factors for diabetic nephropathy patients without health literacy (P<0.05). Age ≥55 years, dialysis duration ≥5 years, treatment interruption, irregular health habits, and lack of health literacy were independent influencing factors for abnormal nutritional status in diabetic nephropathy patients ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion The health literacy and nutritional characteristics of MHD patients in Huizhou were worse than those of patients with nephropathy, which were mainly related to age, education level, living habits, and dialysis treatment.