INFLUENCE OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE ON ACHIEVEMENT OF GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1811-2471.2026.v.i2.16405Keywords:
type 2 diabetes mellitus, medication adherence, glycemic control, glycated hemoglobin, MMAS-8Abstract
SUMMARY. The aim – to assess the level of medication adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to determine its association with glycemic control indicators, as well as to analyze the impact of educational level on adherence to therapy.
Material and Methods. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted involving 420 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 25–65 years. Medication adherence was assessed using the validated Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Glycemic control was evaluated based on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, with a threshold value of 7 %. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square (c²) test, and p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results. Low medication adherence was identified in 64.6 % of patients, moderate adherence in 29.0 %, while high adherence was observed in only 6.4 % of the study population. A statistically significant association was found between medication adherence and glycemic control (c²=7.1; p=0.03). The proportion of patients achieving adequate glycemic control (HbA1c ≤7 %) was 81.5 % in the high-adherence group, 63.9 % in the moderate-adherence group, and 41.7 % among patients with low adherence. In addition, a significant association between educational level and medication adherence was revealed (c²=29.4; p<0.001), with higher adherence rates observed among patients with university higher education.
Conclusions. The findings of this study confirm that medication adherence is a key modifiable factor in achieving adequate glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Routine assessment of adherence and implementation of targeted interventions aimed at improving adherence may contribute to better clinical outcomes and improved diabetes management.
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