Illness Perception and Medication Adherence among Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Scoping Review

Abstract

(1) Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global disease with a compelling impact on developed and developing economies across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2020) reported a global prevalence of 8.5% in 2014 among adults aged at least 18 years. Consequently, the condition led to a 5% increase in premature mortality from 2000 to 2016. Aim: The scoping review sought to examine illness perception and medication adherence among adult patients with T2DM. (2) Methods: The study was conducted in 2021 and covered articles published in English in the last five years. PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ScienceDirect were the primary search engines used to generate the required scholarly records. A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. (3) Results: The 20 studies selected for the scoping review covered different themes on the overall concept of illness perception and medication adherence in adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Each study presented unique implications for research and influence on the policymaking relating to the treatment or the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults of different aged groups. (4) Conclusions: The studies reveal both high and low adherence to medications in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The management and treatment of the condition depend on the uptake of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin as well as the recommended therapies to enhance the clinical outcomes of the patients.

“If I am free from diabetes, that itself will be the happiest thing”: A convergent mixed methods study of the lived experiences of young adults with type 2 diabetes in Mysore district, India

“…In this study, 14 participants (70%) presented mild to moderately-severe depressive symptoms, with 5 participants (25%) reporting recent suicidal thoughts. Compared to the national prevalence estimate of 3.6% in India, young adults with T2D are at a greater risk of depressive disorders [28]. Descriptively in this sample, depressive symptoms are associated with sex, region, socioeconomic status, duration since T2D diagnosis, family history of T2D, T2D-related complications, adherence to a diabetic diet, and physical activity.…”

“…The belief that diabetes is communicable was particularly prevalent and concerning, leading to experiences of social isolation and discrimination. Researchers in the United States and Ghana have established that lower health literacy coupled with illness perception is associated with lower self-management behaviors in adults living with T2D [28–30]. Medication perception also played a significant role in participants’ experience with T2D.…”

Association between Illness Perception and Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes mellitus type II in North Shoa, Zone: Cross-Sectional study

“…Previous studies [14,[19][20][21][22][23] support that illness perception is signi cantly associated with medication adherence. Illness perception affects the treatment adherence of patients by shaping their behavior and actions [24][25][26].…”

The impact of insurance status on in‐hospital mortality in patients with hyperglycaemic crisis: A propensity score matching analysis

“…Insurance differences may affect the choice of treatment for patients with hyperglycaemic crisis and lead to disparate health outcomes. Many factors may be responsible for this observation, such as nonadherence to medications, 25 insufficient care and unsuccessful diabetes self‐management 26 . Therefore, focusing on the impact of insurance status in patients with DM is essential.…”