Assessment of adherence to treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is currently a major public health problem. High adherence to treatment is associated with a lower risk of mortality. Despite extensive treatment options, less than 50% of patients achieve glycemic goals. This descriptive study was conducted on 141 patients with type 2 diabetes, 51 hospitalized in the endocrinology department of the Republican Clinical Hospital, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and 90 questioned online between September 2020 and March 2021. Treatment adherence was assessed using the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ), which allows the assessment of overall adherence, and separately on four subscales. Less than half of people with type 2 diabetes - 47% - have high adherence to treatment. The highest score was obtained in the Glucose Management subscale, followed by the Utilization of health care services. Lower adherence was observed in the Dietary Control and Physical Activity subscales. The adherence score was lower in hospitalized patients compared to non-hospitalized patients on the summary scale and on each subscale separately.