Assessment of Non-adherence to Antidiabetic Medication and Its Associated Factors in Context of Developing Countries

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Globally, diabetic mellitus affects more than 285 million people. Individuals with diabetic mellitus are highly susceptible to various acute and chronic complications of the disease. Hence, effective management with lifestyle modification and various pharmacological treatments is paramount to preventing morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. However, only a few patients achieve the target glycaemic control due to poor medication adherence habits. Poor adherence to antidiabetic medications is the single most important reason for uncontrolled diabetes, serious complications, and the wastage of health care resources in developing countries like Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this review is to assess non-adherence to antidiabetic medication and its associated factors in the context of Ethiopia. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study design has applied to collect secondary data from related publications online. METHOD: Electronic databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, used to systematically search without limitation of publication date and status. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: In a limited health care system like Ethiopia, low diabetic education, economic instability, low literacy levels, and restricted access to healthcare facilities are among the factors contributing to the increased incidence of medication non-adherence among known diabetic patients. Additionally, self-management practice is generally low among diabetic patients in low-income countries like Ethiopia. This implies a critical need for educational empowerment. A number of motivations, such as scheduled home visits by health workers to evaluate and strengthen adherence to medications, sound important. Furthermore, strategies including viable cost reduction medications and encouraging low-priced, high-efficacy drugs may increase patient access to anti-diabetic.