695-P: The Moderating Role of Worry on the Relationship between Diabetes Knowledge and Self-Management Activities

Introduction & Objective: Diabetes knowledge is a predictor of diabetes self-management and worry as a component of anxiety is underexplored. Our objective was to examine the moderating role of worry on the relationships of objective and perceived diabetes knowledge with diabetes self-management.

Methods: Adults with type 2 diabetes were recruited from a web-based panel. We cross-sectionally examined worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire-3) as a moderator of the relationships of objective knowledge (Diabetes Knowledge Test-2) and perceived knowledge (Perceived Diabetes Knowledge Scale) with self-management activities (diet, exercise, glucose monitoring, foot care; Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities). Separate regression models examined the multiplicative interaction of worry with objective and perceived knowledge on self-management activities controlling for education, diabetes duration, and prior diabetes education.

Results: In our sample (N = 321; Mage = 64.4; 51.7% female; 85.7% White), worry moderated the association between perceived knowledge and diet (B = 0.07, 95% CI = .01, .13) such that greater perceived knowledge was more strongly associated with greater diet adherence among adults with high levels of worry. Worry moderated the association of objective knowledge and exercise (B = -0.04, 95% CI = -0.07, -0.01) such that greater objective knowledge was more strongly associated with lower exercise adherence at high levels of worry. Worry moderated the association of objective knowledge and foot care (B = -0.04, 95% CI = -0.06, -0.01) such that greater objective knowledge was more strongly associated with lower feet checking adherence at high levels of worry.

Conclusion: Results suggest that worry may play an important role in the relationship of diabetes knowledge to self-management activities. Findings may inform development and evaluation of interventions that promote diabetes knowledge and self-management by considering the role of worry.