Abstract: Objective: To explore the potential categorization of health information acquisition behaviors in patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the population-level heterogeneities and influencing factors of different underlying profiles. Methods: We conducted a survey study from March to September 2021 with 383 newly diagnosed T2DM patients from the endocrinology department of four tertiary hospitals in Guangdong province using a convenience sampling method. We collected data using the general information questionnaire, health information acquisition behavior scale, and health literacy scale. Latent profile analysis was used to explore the potential categorizations; binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of different latent profiles. Results: Two potential profiles were identified: low needs-limited sources-high barriers (77.5%) and high needs-multiple sources-high barriers (22.5%), with heterogeneities existing between the two groups. Participation in health education lectures (P<0.05) and critical health literacy (P<0.05) were predictors of health information acquisition behaviors in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. Conclusion: There are two heterogeneous categories of health information acquisition behaviors in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. To promote patients to actively acquire health information, healthcare professionals should initiate health education programs based on patients’ health information acquisition characteristics.

Key words: newly diagnosed; T2DM; health information acquisition behavior; latent profile analysis