A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study on Medication Adherence of Oral Antidiabetic Agents in Diabetes Mellitus Patients and an Overview on Clinical Pharmacist's Role in Medication Adherence in Government Headquarters Hospital Tiruppur

Abstract

Aim and Objectives: In this study, the level of adherence to medications and factors influencing nonadherence to oral antidiabetic medications among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was assessed. This study also ascertained the clinical pharmacist role in improving medication adherence. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on prospective analysis of data collected from 150 cases in the general medicine department at the secondary care Government Headquarters Hospital, Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu state, India. The study was carried out over 6 months duration, from March 2019 to August 2019. Results: In the study, of 150 patients 60% were adherent, while 40% showed low adherence. Apparently, the subjects aged below 50 years showed 100% adherence and age group of 80–89 showed the least adherence of 12.5%. Out of 83 (55%) males and 67 (45%) females enrolled in the study, 50 (60.24%) of the former and 40 (59.70%) of the latter were found to be adherent. The rate of nonadherence in married and unmarried population was found to be 40.71% and 30%, respectively. Patients who had graduated from college/university showed 100% adherence whereas, the illiterate patients showed the least adherence of 32%. Moreover, the subjects who had their onset in the age between 20–29 years were 100% adherent and the least adherence of 33% were shown by subjects with onset age between 70–79. Patients with monotherapy were more adherent (77.8%) to the therapy when compared to the patients who were on polytherapy (43.6%) and the patients with diabetic complications showed 40% of adherence and the patients without any complications showed 86.15% of adherence. Eventually, the patients who did not experience any side effects showed good adherence (79.2%) compared to the ones with side effects who showed poor adherence (20.8%) to the therapy. Finally, the adherence among the patients who never consumed alcohol was found to be 69.9% whereas, patients who consumed alcohol everyday was found to be only 33.3%. Conclusion: Majority of the patients were found to be adherent towards oral antidiabetic agents; thus, influence of clinical pharmacist in adherence was evident in this study. The major barriers for medication adherence found were being older age, having low level of education, late onset of disease, presence of side effects and complications, polytherapy, and consumption of alcohol.