Enaase A.M.E. Barakat
Mansoura University, Egypt
Title: Measuring the rate of therapeutic adherence among outpatients with T2DM in Egypt
Biography
Biography: Enaase A.M.E. Barakat
Abstract
Background: Therapeutic adherence is considered as an integral component of patient healthcare. Despite effective methods of treatment, 50% of diabetic patients fail to achieve satisfactory glycemic control. Clinical experience indicates that no improvement of metabolic control is possible without patients’ adherence to medications. This study sought to examine the rate of medication adherence and different factors affecting it among Type 2 diabetic patients in Egypt. Methods: A total of 226 Type 2 diabetic patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited in the current study. Adherence to the treatment was evaluated during patients’ hospitalization in the Outpatient Clinics of Internal Medicine Department at University of Mansoura, Egypt. The medication adherence has been assessed during a personal interview with each patient using a multiple-choice graded questionnaire. Results: The adherence rates to medication, dietary/exercise and appointment were observed to be suboptimal. The most important social factors included marital status, family support, and socio-economical level. Other factors include patient knowledge about the disease, patients’ beliefs and motivation about prescribed drugs, and regularity of patients’ self monitoring of blood glucose level. Among drug factors, the number of drugs taken, complexity of drug regimen, and the presence of drug side effects. Economical factor played an important role. Direct and indirect care costs in relation to patients’ income were significantly affecting the rate of adherence to medication. Conclusion: An improvement with the adherence to oral hypoglycemic agent(s) may be achieved through patient education about diabetes, improvement of patients’ economical levels as well as a reduction in the cost of medication.