Associations Between Health Literacy and Diabetes Self-Care Management Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Southern Riyadh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Health literacy is widely recognized as a fundamental determinant of chronic disease self-management. Despite the escalating burden of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia, the relationship between health literacy and diabetes self-care management within specific urban–peripheral communities remains inadequately characterized. This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and diabetes self-care management among adults with diabetes residing in southern Riyadh, and to examine associations with key sociodemographic variables, including age, income, gender, and educational attainment. Methods: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was employed. A purposive sample of 92 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes was recruited from primary healthcare centers in southern Riyadh. Data were gathered using the Arabic-validated 12-item European Health Literacy Scale (HLS-Q12) and the 8-item Arabic Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank-order correlations were computed using IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 25. Results: A significant positive correlation was identified between health literacy and diabetes self-care management (rs = 0.64, 95% CI [0.50, 0.75], p < 0.01). Income level demonstrated significant positive associations with both health literacy (rs = 0.41, p < 0.01) and self-care practices (rs = 0.40, p < 0.01). Age exhibited significant negative correlations with health literacy (rs = −0.36, p < 0.01) and self-care management (rs = −0.49, p < 0.01). Educational attainment was significantly associated with both self-care management (rs = 0.29, p < 0.01) and health literacy (rs = 0.26, p < 0.05). Gender was not significantly associated with either outcome. Conclusions: Health literacy was significantly associated with diabetes self-care management in southern Riyadh and may represent a potentially modifiable target for nursing intervention. Findings point to the urgency of designing equity-sensitive, culturally responsive interventions targeting older adults and economically marginalized populations. These preliminary findings may carry implications for nursing practice, diabetes education, and health policy in Saudi Arabia, pending confirmation in larger, prospective samples.