Abstract
Background: Non-adherence to drug therapy is an important cause of treatment failure among patients with chronic conditions like diabetes. Previous researches have presented associations among personality traits, medication beliefs and adherence to long-term medication treatment in individuals with different chronic diseases. However, there is limited knowledge about associations among personality traits, medication belief and adherence to diabetic treatment in Africa. It was on this basis that this study was undertaken to assess the personality traits and personal beliefs of patients on medication for Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and to also assess adherence to treatment. Methodology: This study was a descriptive cross sectional study. Using a systematic random sampling technique, 223 patients attending the diabetic clinic of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos were selected over a period of 12 weeks. Patients were interviewed using the Big Five-factor Personality Inventory, Medication Belief Questionnaire and the Medication Adherence Report Scale. Data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student’s t-tests, Chi Square Tests and Pearson’s correlations analysis. Results: Non-adherence was estimated to be 40.8%. Non-adherent respondents had lower mean score of neuroticism personality traits compared to adherent respondents. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a weak negative relationship between neuroticism personality trait and adherence behaviour (P < 0.05). There was also a statistically significant weak correlation (r = 0.1) between specific concern medication belief and adherence to medication among respondents in the study (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Personality traits of diabetic patients can influence their adherence to treatment. Patients with neuroticism personality trait and specific concern medication belief tend to be non-adherent to medication. Healthcare providers should therefore pay more attention to the personality traits and medication beliefs of patients in providing effective management for diabetic patients.
Highlights
Chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus require lifelong drug treatments which affect patients in many ways bringing about various restraints
Non-adherence to drug therapy is an important cause of treatment failure and a consequence of many chronic diseases, with a reported 30% - 80% of non-compliance among patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, hypertension and dyslipidaemia [2]
Findings from this study showed that the adherent respondents have higher specific necessity belief and lower general harm & overuse beliefs which was not statistically significant, but in keeping with findings from other studies [23] [28]
Summary
Chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus require lifelong drug treatments which affect patients in many ways bringing about various restraints. Factors associated with non-adherent behaviour include socioeconomic factors, therapy-related factors, condition-related factors, health care system factors and patient-related factors such as personality traits and patients’ beliefs about medicines [5]. Non-adherence to drug therapy is an important cause of treatment failure among patients with chronic conditions like diabetes. Previous researches have presented associations among personality traits, medication beliefs and adherence to long-term medication treatment in individuals with different chronic diseases. There is limited knowledge about associations among personality traits, medication belief and adherence to diabetic treatment in Africa. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a weak negative relationship between neuroticism personality trait and adherence behaviour (P < 0.05).
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