# Assessment of Medication Adherence in Diabetes Mellitus Patients at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India

## TL;DR

This study examines medication adherence among diabetes patients in India and finds that most adhere well, though comorbidities and lifestyle factors like alcohol and smoking are linked to poor adherence.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into medication adherence patterns and associated factors in a tertiary care hospital in India, emphasizing the role of comorbidities and lifestyle.

## Key findings

- 91.28% of diabetes patients showed good medication adherence.
- Comorbidities, alcohol consumption, and smoking were significantly associated with poor adherence.

## Abstract

Introduction: Medication adherence is a crucial aspect of patient care and is vital for the effective management of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM). Non-adherence to medication is a pervasive issue in both developed and developing countries, posing significant challenges for healthcare providers and patients, and leading to adverse treatment outcomes and overall health complications.

Methods: After receiving approval from the institutional ethics committee, this cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted over a period of three months (December 2023 to February 2024) in the medicine outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Gujarat, India. All patients diagnosed with DM by physicians were included. A pre-designed structured questionnaire comprising 12 questions was self-administered to DM patients. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests to identify factors influencing medication adherence.

Result: A total of 390 diabetes patients were included in the final analysis. Among the participants, 232 (59%) were male, with a mean age of 58.69 ± 12.38 years. The overall medication adherence was notably high, with 356 (91.28%) participants demonstrating good adherence. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between medication adherence and glycemic control. The presence of any comorbidity, current alcohol consumption, or smoking increased the odds of poor adherence by 1.78 (95%CI 1.026-3.475), 1.44 (95%CI 0.51-5.19), and 1.17 (95%CI 0.61-2.24), respectively.

Conclusion: Health education and patient counseling should be integrated into follow-up visits to enhance medication adherence. The findings of this study may serve as a foundation for developing healthcare policies and guidelines aimed at improving diabetes management. Future research should focus on evaluating additional factors influencing adherence and non-adherence, such as treatment regimen complexity, insulin resistance, and lifestyle factors, to better understand the underlying discrepancies.