Adherence Of Diabetic Patients To Medication And Self-Care Practice And Factors Associated With Non-Adherence At Shashemene Referral Hospital, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, South East Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and progressive disorder that has profound effect on almost every aspect of daily activities. Inadequate adherence to prescribed medication is a major problem in diabetes mellitus and is usually responsible for therapeutic failure. This in turn leads to unnecessary health cost increment. Objective: To assess adherence to anti-diabetic medication and self-care practice and associated factors for non-adherence in Shashemene referral hospital, west Arsi zone, Oromia region, southern Ethiopia. Method and participants: a cross sectional study design was conducted to determine the level of adherence to anti-diabetic treatment and self-care and associated factors for non-adherence among diabetic patients seeking medical follow-up whose age was 18 years and above and were volunteer and cross-sectional review of case charts in Shashemene referral hospital, Using structured questioner, from (January 24-Feb.7/2014). Data was collected, compiled and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS v20) to determine the level of adherence to anti-diabetic treatment and self-care practice and associated factors for non-adherence among diabetic patients in Shashemene referral hospital. Result: A total of 280 diabetic patients comprising 154 (55%) male and 126 (45%) females were included in this study. Sixty five (23.2%) of the diabetic patient were non-adherent to their medication and 75% were non-adherent to self-care practices. Factors like side effect and complexity of regimen, failure to remember, educational level, monthly income and age of respondents as well as healthcare providers’ related factors like frequency of counseling, dose patient served on each visits were significantly associated with non-adherence to medication and self-care practices. Conclusion: In conclusion non-adherence to medication and self-care practices among diabetic patient in this study was high particularly among patients with side effect and complexity of regimen and failure of remembering of patients. Non-adherence was associated with factors like age, educational level, monthly income, side effect and complexity of regimens and forgetting of patients. Recommendations: It is better if data collection time is increased from two weeks to four weeks in order to have enough data for better outcome (to Jimma university research committee). Since there were no another studies that addresses the adherence to DM treatment done in the hospital it is better to use this finding as a bases (to Shashemene referral hospital). To improve patient providers’ relationship as those who have good patient providers’ relationship are more adherent than those do not (to Shashemene referral hospital professionals). It is recommended that to increase level of education of the population as it has great impact on outcome of the treatment (to the government)