Factors associated with low adherence to medication among patients with type 2 diabetes at different healthcare facilities in southern Bangladesh

Figures & data

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants

	Total		High and Moderate MA		Low MA
Variables	N	%	N	%	N	%	P-value^#
Gender
Male	1233	59.8	626	56.6	607	63.6	0.001*
Female	828	40.2	480	43.4	348	36.4
Age
Men age ± SD	50.6 ± 12.1		50.9 ± 12.2		50.4 ± 12
<35 years	201	9.8	102	9.2	99	10.4	0.236
35–69 years	1725	83.7	923	83.5	802	84
> 70 years	135	6.6	81	7.3	54	5.7
Marital status
Married	1846	89.6	993	89.8	853	89.3	0.731
Single	215	10.4	113	10.2	102	10.7
Education
Primary and below	823	39.9	417	37.7	406	42.5	0.015*
Completed secondary	550	26.7	289	26.1	261	27.3
Completed higher secondary	302	14.7	184	16.6	118	12.4
Completed higher education	386	18.7	216	19.5	170	17.8
Occupation
Housewife	1093	53	558	50.5	535	56	0.071
Business	243	11.8	142	12.8	101	10.6
Service	395	19.2	218	19.7	177	18.5
Others	330	16	188	17	142	14.9
Income
< 233 USD	578	28.5	286	26.2	292	31.2	0.002*
233–410 USD	627	30.9	320	29.3	307	32.8
411–585 USD	397	19.6	230	21.1	167	17.8
> 585 USD	426	21	255	23.4	171	18.2

^#Chi-square test unless otherwise stated * MA = Medication Adherence.

Table 2. Personal medical history and behavioral characteristics according to medication adherence

	Total		High and Moderate		Low
Variables	N	%	N	%	N	%	P-value^#
Co-morbidities
Hypertension	1111	53.9	600	54.2	511	53.5	0.116
Heart diseases	431	20.9	226	20.4	205	21.5	0.736
Eye diseases	1155	56	566	51.2	589	61.7	< 0.001*
Kidney diseases	171	8.3	89	8	82	8.6	0.658
Neurological diseases	193	9.4	91	8.2	102	10.7	0.057
Diabetic ulcer	185	9	80	7.2	105	11	0.003*
Cancer	26	1.3	16	1.4	10	1	0.418
Asthma	240	11.6	115	10.4	125	13.1	0.058
TB	45	2.2	29	2.6	16	1.7	0.143
Fasting blood sugar
Uncontrolled (>7 mmol/L)	1364	73.5	715	72.1	649	75.1	0.149
Controlled (≤7 mmol/L)	491	26.5	276	27.9	215	24.9
Body mass index
Underweight	34	1.6	17	1.5	17	1.8	0.57
Normal	855	41.5	455	41.1	400	41.9
Overweight	845	41	467	42.2	378	39.6
Obese	327	15.9	167	15.1	160	16.8
Behavioral characteristics
Tobacco use
Current	550	26.7	283	25.6	267	28	0.289
Past	208	10.1	120	10.8	88	9.2
Never	1303	63.2	703	63.6	600	62.8
Consumption of fruits and vegetables
≥3 times/day	101	4.9	41	3.7	60	6.3	0.007*
<3 times/day	1960	95.1	1065	96.3	895	93.7

*Statistical significance at *P < 0.05; **P < 0.001; ^# Chi-square test unless otherwise stated.

Table 3. Factors associated with low medication adherence among diabetes patients

Factors	Unadjusted OR (95% CI)	P-value	Adjusted OR (95% CI)	P-value
Gender
Male	1.34 (1.12–1.60)	0.001*	1.37(1.13–1.67)	0.002*
Female	Ref.		Ref.
Education
Primary and below	Ref.		Ref.
Secondary	0.93(0.75–1.15)	0.495	1.04(0.82–1.3)	0.76
Higher secondary	0.66(0.5–0.86)	0.002*	0.79(0.59–1.05)	0.099
Higher education	0.81(0.63–1.03)	0.086	1.1(0.83–1.45)	0.527
Income
< 233 USD	1.52(1.18–1.96)	0.001*	1.54(1.17–2.03)	0.002*
233–410 USD	1.43(1.12–1.84)	0.005*	1.43(1.1–1.84)	0.007*
411–585 USD	1.08(0.82–1.43)	0.575	1.08(0.81–1.43)	0.613
> 585 USD	Ref.		Ref.
Co-morbidities
Eye problems^a	1.54(1.29–1.83)	<0.001	1.45(1.21–1.74)	P < 0.001
Diabetic ulcer^a	1.58(1.17–2.15)	0.003*	1.42(1.04–1.94)	0.027*
Consumption of fruits and vegetables
≥3 times/day	Ref.		Ref.
<3 times/day	0.57(0.38–0.86)	0.008*	0.53(0.35–0.81)	0.003*

^aNo problems; *Statistical significance at P < 0.001.

Figure 1. Medication adherence (MA) by gender