The Importance of Different Knowledge Types in Health-Related Decisions—The Example of Type 2 Diabetes
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Problem
1.2. Theoretical Background
- System Health Knowledge (SK), which is the “knowledge about health, the body, and its (mal-) functioning” [23]. It includes knowledge about the use of carbohydrates and how carbohydrates are metabolized in the body, the mechanisms and risk factors that lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and the impact of type 2 diabetes on health. This knowledge might especially influence the evaluation of susceptibility and severity of coming down with type 2 diabetes (perceived health threat). Moreover, it influences the following knowledge types.
- Action-related Health Knowledge (AK) is the “knowledge about possible actions to preserve functioning and prevent malfunctioning of body and health” [23]. It includes knowledge about recommendations about sugar intake, about foods that contain carbohydrates and sugars, and knowledge about actions to reduce the intake of sugar. This knowledge is hypothesized to influence the attitude towards health action.
- Effectiveness Health Knowledge (EK), which is the knowledge about the relative potential of actions that lead to the desired prevention of diseases [23]. It includes, e.g., the ability to decide on foods that contain less sugar. This knowledge is hypothesized to influence the attitude towards the health outcome.
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions and Outlook
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Scale | No. of Items | Cronbach’s α | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
System Health Knowledge (SK) | 15 | 0.92 | What is sugar? What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes? Why does my body need sugar? |
Action-related Knowledge (AK) | 15 | 0.94 | What can I do to prevent type 2 diabetes? How can I reduce my sugar consumption? Which foods contain how much sugar? |
Effectivity Knowledge (EK) | 4 | 0.86 | What is the likelihood that my sugar consumption will cause me to develop type 2 diabetes? What is the probability that I will develop type 2 diabetes if I reduce my sugar consumption? |
Question | Scale | Importance | |
---|---|---|---|
Mean | SD | ||
How is sugar structured? | SK | 3.02 | 1.31 |
What is sugar? | SK | 3.23 | 1.23 |
Why does my body need sugar? | SK | 3.49 | 1.19 |
What types of sugar are there? | SK | 3.52 | 1.17 |
How is sugar processed in a healthy body? | SK | 3.57 | 1.18 |
How effective are individual low-sugar alternatives to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes? | EK | 3.65 | 1.16 |
Which organs of my body are involved in sugar processing? | SK | 3.69 | 1.10 |
Where can I find information on the sugar content of foods? | AK | 3.78 | 1.16 |
Which types of sugar should I consume preferably? | AK | 3.8 | 1.09 |
Are all sugars equally harmful? | AK | 3.88 | 1.13 |
What influences my blood sugar level? | SK | 3.89 | 1.08 |
How much sugar can I eat every day to stay healthy? | AK | 3.89 | 1.08 |
How is sugar processed in the body if you have type 2 diabetes? | SK | 3.89 | 1.08 |
What is the probability that I will develop type 2 diabetes if I reduce my sugar consumption? | EK | 3.90 | 1.08 |
Which foods contain the least amount of sugar? | AK | 3.91 | 1.18 |
To what extent should I reduce my sugar intake to prevent type 2 diabetes? | AK | 3.94 | 1.05 |
What is the likelihood that I will develop type 2 diabetes if I reduce my sugar intake? | EK | 3.96 | 1.16 |
What are the alternatives to sugar? | AK | 3.96 | 1.21 |
What is the likelihood that my sugar consumption will cause me to develop type 2 diabetes? | SK | 3.96 | 1.10 |
What role does sugar play in the development of type 2 diabetes? | SK | 3.96 | 1.03 |
What are the consequences of type 2 diabetes for me and my well-being? | SK | 4.02 | 1.11 |
Which foods contain how much sugar? | AK | 4.04 | 0.97 |
Which foods contain the most sugar? | AK | 4.06 | 1.14 |
What low-sugar alternatives are there? | AK | 4.06 | 1.13 |
How can I reduce my sugar consumption? | AK | 4.09 | 1.10 |
What are the consequences of reducing my sugar intake for my body? | EK | 4.09 | 0.95 |
What types of sugar should I avoid? | AK | 4.10 | 1.02 |
How high is my current sugar consumption? | AK | 4.12 | 1.03 |
How does type 2 diabetes develop? | SK | 4.22 | 0.99 |
What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes? | SK | 4.22 | 1.07 |
Which foods should I consume, preferably, and which should I consume in moderation to reduce my sugar intake? | AK | 4.24 | 1.05 |
What is type 2 diabetes? | SK | 4.27 | 1.00 |
What can I do to prevent type 2 diabetes? | AK | 4.27 | 0.99 |
What are the causes of type 2 diabetes? | SK | 4.31 | 0.97 |
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Arnold, J.C. The Importance of Different Knowledge Types in Health-Related Decisions—The Example of Type 2 Diabetes. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3396. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083396
Arnold JC. The Importance of Different Knowledge Types in Health-Related Decisions—The Example of Type 2 Diabetes. Sustainability. 2020; 12(8):3396. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083396
Chicago/Turabian StyleArnold, Julia Caroline. 2020. "The Importance of Different Knowledge Types in Health-Related Decisions—The Example of Type 2 Diabetes" Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3396. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083396