https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5202-7406
Abstract
Introduction
Medication non-adherence is a major public health problem among diabetes mellitus patients. However, there is a lack of data regarding its magnitude and the factors contributing to Ethiopia’s non-adherence, especially in the Tigrai region. This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of non-adherence and its contributing factors among diabetes mellitus patients in the Eastern Zone of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia.
Materials and Methods
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Adigrat and Wukro General Hospitals using a pre-tested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire developed from the relevant literature and a checklist developed to review patient medical cards for the period of the 15th of March to the 15th of July, 2019. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Association between the dependent and the independent variable was performed using logistic regression and a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.
Results
From a total of 321 study participants, 63.9% of the patients were non-adherent to their medications. Two-month dose issued on each visit (AOR = 2.865, 95% CI 1.380–5.949), dose issued for more than three months (AOR = 4.314, 95% CI 1.526–12.195), monthly income below 500 birr (AOR = 5.048, 95% CI 2.094–12.168), monthly income between 500 and 2000 birr (AOR = 2.593, 95% CI 1.032–6.517), distance greater than 24 kilometers from hospital to home (AOR = 10.091, 95% CI 3.509–29.020), more than four prescribed medications per visit (AOR=7.192, 95% CI= 2.171–23.824), never receiving counseling (AOR=22.334, 95% CI= 9.270–53.810), and diabetes-related admission (AOR=0.248, 95% CI= 0.078–0.789) were significantly associated with patients’ non-adherence to diabetes mellitus medications.
Conclusion
The level of diabetic medication adherence was suboptimal, and our study highlights that better monthly earning, nearby health-care accessibility, fewer prescribed medication, and getting appropriate counseling about diabetes mellitus were predictive of adherence to medications. Hence, an urgent intervention targeting the development of guidelines that involve these determinates should be employed to improve health care.
Abbreviations
DM, Diabetes Mellitus; WHO, World Health Organization; ETB, Ethiopian birr; KM, kilometer; FBG, fasting blood glucose; CI, confidence interval; AOR, adjusted odds ratio; COR, Crudes odd ratio.
Data Sharing Statement
The data used and analyzed in this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Acknowledgment
The authors appreciate Adigrat and Wukro General Hospitals as well as all the study participants who voluntarily participated in this study for their contribution to the success of this work.
Author Contributions
All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors have no competing interests to disclose.