Medication Adherence and Associated Factors among Diabetic Patients Attending the Clinic at a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Sri Lanka

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most important chronic diseases. The prevalence rate of diabetes is increasing worldwide, and it is rapidly rising in Sri Lanka. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to the development of complications, which will increase morbidity and mortality. Medication non-adherence is one reason for uncontrolled diabetes. Therefore, objective of the study was determination of adherence to oral hypoglycemic drugs among patients with diabetes, and the factors associated with adherence and the barriers to adherence, at the Teaching Hospital, Jaffna, in Northern Sri Lanka. This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among 420 patients with diabetes mellitus attending the Teaching Hospital in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. A pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire and a data extraction form were used to collect data on medication adherence and associated factors. Data were analysed using SPSS, version 21.0. The Chi-square test was used to assess the association between variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. The response rate was 99% (n=416). The majority of the patients (78.1%) adhered to their therapy. The most reported reasons for non-adherence to oral anti-diabetic drugs were lack of reminders, followed by misplaced medication, and being busy or late for work. Age, occupation, family support, frequency of blood glucose checks, regular clinic visits, total number of drugs, number of oral hypoglycemic agents, and total weekly doses of oral hypoglycemic agents were significantly associated with adherence. Most patients reported good adherence to diabetic medication at the Teaching Hospital in Jaffna. More attention should be taken among non-adherent patients by considering the factors associated with non-adherence and providing proper counselling on medication usage to them.