The Association between Diabetes-Related Distress and Medication Adherence in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Date
2020-03-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Diabetes Research
Abstract
Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem associated with distress. T2DM can affect health
outcomes and adherence to medications. Little is however known about the association between diabetes distress and
medication adherence among patients with T2DM in Ghana. Objective. The objective of the present study is twofold: to estimate
distress associated with T2DM and to examine its association with medication adherence. Methods. A hospital-based crosssectional
study was conducted among 188 patients with T2DM recruited from a diabetes specialist outpatient clinic at the
Pantang Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Data were obtained using the Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale and the Medication
Adherence Report Scale. Results. The findings showed that about 44.7% of the patients showed high levels of diabetes-related
distress. Poor adherence to medications was recorded in 66.5% of the patients. Patients who were highly distressed had 68%
lower odds of adhering to their medications compared to those who were not (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15-0.65). A principal
component analysis revealed four areas of T2DM distress which were conceptualized as negative emotions about diabetes,
dietary concerns and diabetes care, dissatisfaction with external support, and diabetes management helplessness. Conclusion.
Our findings suggest that diabetes distress is a significant determinant of medication adherence behaviour in patients with
T2DM. Thus, incorporating routine screening for distress into the standard diabetes care within the Ghanaian health system
and having health practitioners adopt holistic approaches to diabetes management will be important context-specific
interventions to improve adherence and health outcomes of people living and coping with T2DM.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
T2DM, Ghana, diabetes, public health