Assessment of Antidiabetic Medication Adherence and Its Determinants among Ambulatory Patients with Type 2 Diabetes at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Poor adherence to treatment of chronic diseases is a worldwide problem of striking magnitude. Adherence to long-term therapy for chronic illnesses in developed countries averages 50%. Poor adherence to recognized standards of diabetes care is the principal cause of development of complications of diabetes and their associated individual, societal and economic costs. Information on adherence to antidiabetic medications among Type 2 diabetes patients in Ethiopia is scanty. This study therefore sought to assess antidiabetic medication adherence and its determinants among 322 ambulatory patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus attending the diabetic clinic of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). It was a cross-sectional study conducted from 1 May-30 June 2014. Assessment of adherence was performed based on patients’ response to the validated four-item Morisky instrument. Adherence rate to antidiabetic medications was found to be 66.8%. Younger age, increased number of prescribed medications and job type (being a farmer/daily laborer) were significantly associated with antidiabetic medication non-adherence. Most of the patients missed their medications because of forgetfulness. Taken together, the findings indicated that adherence to antidiabetic drugs was suboptimal which warrants the need for health care providers engaged in diabetic care to aggressively address the issue.

Keywords: TASH, Antidiabetic Medication Adherence, Type 2 Diabetes, Morisky Instrument