Spoken knowledge in low literacy diabetes scale: Reliability and validity assessment on Indian Type 2 diabetes patients

India is facing a diabetes epidemic and it urgently needs to address the health literacy needs of diabetes patients to reduce the catastrophic impact of the disease. Since a valid and reliable tool for assessing diabetes literacy assessment was lacking, this study was carried out to conduct a psychometric analysis of the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy Diabetes (SKILLD) Scale among Indian Type 2 diabetes patients. The study participants belonged mostly to the lower socioeconomic strata with low literacy. The results of the Kannada version of the SKILLD scale administered to 100 Type-2 diabetes patients visiting a tertiary care center in South India are presented here

II. The research ethics involving vulnerable groups

Abstract Vulnerability in research occurs when the participant is incapable of protecting his or her interests and therefore, has an increased probability of being intentionally or unintentionally harmed. This manuscript aims to discuss the conditions that make a group vulnerable and the tools and requirements that can be used to reduce the ethical breaches when including them in research protocols. The vulnerability can be due either to an inability to understand and give informed consent or to unequal power relationships that hinder basic rights. Excluding subjects from research for the only reason of belonging to a vulnerable group is unethical and will bias the results of the investigation. To consider a subject or group as vulnerable depends on the context, and the investigator should evaluate each case individually.

Health Literacy ‐ Enhancing Physician Skills

The scope of health literacy demanded of the present day health services user is broad. Enhancing physician skills consists of improving on 6 things : Recognise and assist patients with low literacy to overcome their information handling problems ; Improve usability of health information ; Improve the usability of health services ; Build knowledge to improve health decision making ; Advocate for health literacy in your organisation ; and Learn more about health literacy.