Association Between Quality of Life and Drug Adherence Among Patients With Diabetes in India.

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Diabetes represents a significant global health concern. Effective diabetes management necessitates substantial behavioral and psychological modifications, including regular glucose monitoring, dietary adjustments, and medication adherence. However, treatment adherence remains suboptimal, particularly in developing countries, leading to poor glycaemic control, increased healthcare costs, and diminished quality of life (QoL). Common factors influencing medication nonadherence include lack of medication knowledge, age, education of patients, polypharmacy, duration of disease, cost of therapy, complexity of dosing regime, and the presence of comorbidities. So, the study aims to assess the adherence status to antidiabetic medication and its association with QoL among diabetes patients in the Anand district of Gujarat state. A study was carried out in Anand district, Gujarat, from 2023 to 2024, focusing on community-based cross-sectional research. In the eight blocks of Anand district, a two-stage cluster sampling method was utilized, with one village or town randomly chosen from each taluka, and 25 diabetes patients interviewed per area. Data collection involved visiting 200 participants' houses, starting with a randomly selected house and continuing until the target was met. The interviews, conducted in the local language, lasted around 45 minutes and utilized a pre-validated and pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire covered demographic details, disease characteristics, and medication adherence using the semi-structured scale from Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS-D), as well as the assessment of QoL using the WHOQoL-BREF questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Sociodemographic attributes were presented in terms of percentages (%) and frequencies (N). The means and standard deviation (SD) of health-related QoL and adherence to anti-diabetic medication were reported. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the impact of adherence to antidiabetic medication within each QoL area after adjusting for a few sociodemographic variables. P values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The study included predominantly older participants (58.1 years) with 53.5% being male. Most participants (65.5%) had diabetes for more than 5 years, 60.0% had comorbidities, and 29.0% experienced complications. Nonadherence to treatment was observed in 37.0% of patients. The study found that factors like age, education, occupation, family history of diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise habits, and medication adherence significantly influenced the QoL in diabetic patients, with medication adherence showing the strongest positive association with all QoL domains. This study shows a high percentage of nonadherence to antidiabetic medications. Poor adherence had significantly lower mean scores across all domains of QoL. Community-based educational programs targeting older and less-educated individuals should promote regular physical activity. Developing strategies to improve medication adherence and ensuring affordable access to essential medications, along with prioritizing enhancements in the QoL through psychosocial support and lifestyle counseling are imperative for diabetic patients.