Therapeutic adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in an outpatient clinic of a family medicine unit in Zacapu, Michoacán

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the cause of multiple complications resulting from poor glycemic control that leads to low therapeutic adherence. In this study, therapeutic adherence was determined in 350 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, of both sexes, over 18 years of age. The Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Scale was applied, and descriptive statistics and the X² test were used for variable association, with pValue <0.05. The percentages of patients who showed therapeutic adherence were: low 16.9% (n=59), medium 39.1% (n=137), and high 44.0% (n=154). Low adherence was associated with the use of polypharmacy [p=0.033] and poor glycemic control [p<0.001]. It is concluded that one third of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, registered at the General Hospital of Zone with Family Medicine No. 2, exhibited high therapeutic adherence, finding an association between education level, the degree of glycemic control, and polypharmacy.