Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease of serious concern associated with a major burden on the well-being of people worldwide. Non-compliance to medications is the most challenging hurdle in managing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.
Aim of the study: to evaluate the compliance level to anti-diabetic drugs for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending al-Faihaa specialized diabetes endocrine metabolism center in Basrah, Iraq.
Method: this was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in Al-Faihaa Specialized Diabetes Endocrine Metabolism Center during the period from the 1st of January to the 31st of December,2021. The data were collected through direct interviews of the eligible patients using a special questionnaire form. Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) was used to measure adherence.
Results: About two-thirds (61.9%) of the patients had a low level of compliance to anti-diabetic drugs and only 12.1% of the patients showed a high level of compliance. A significant association was found between patients' age, patients' education, duration of diabetes and their level of compliance. On the other hand, a significant independent association between the type of anti-diabetic drugs, the intake of medications for other co-morbidities and compliance level was found. Intake of other medications showed a significant inverse association with compliance level.
Conclusion: The compliance rate for anti-diabetic drugs among diabetic patients with T2DM was unsatisfactory. Patients' adherence to other elements of diabetic care (diet, exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose), was also unsatisfactory.