Treatment compliance among type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in a rural area of Delhi: A community-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction

India has been regarded as the Diabetic capital of the world and surprisingly one-third of those affected with diabetes (approximately 122.5 million) are not aware of their status. 

Studies conducted across the world suggested poor treatment compliance among diabetic patients. Most of the available literature on treatment compliance is either hospital based or done in an urban area. Therefore, a community-based study on treatment compliance among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients was conducted.

Materials & methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 villages among 260 Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients from 1st January to 31st December 2021. Compliance to medication, physical activity and diet was measured using medication compliance scale, global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ), and 24-hour recall method. The data was analysed using licensed SPSS software version 21.0 and appropriate test of significance like chi- square test was applied. A P-value of <0.05 was taken significant. Ethical clearance was obtained from institutional ethical committee.

Results

Out of 260 study participants, 229 (88.1%) were on treatment of which 122 (53.3%) were found to be moderately compliant, 96 (41.9%) had good compliance while only 11 (4.8%) had poor compliance to medication. More than half of the study participants 145 (55.7%) and 70 (26.9%) were found to be compliant to physical activity and diet respectively. Overall compliance to medication, physical activity and diet among study participants was found to be 15.8%. Participants age, diabetes duration had significant association (P<0.05) with treatment compliance.

Conclusion

More than one third of the study participants were found non-compliant to either medicine, physical activity or diet. This highlights the importance of proper counselling, regular follow-up, health education and awareness activities in the community to bring about the improvement in treatment compliance.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus type 2, Treatment compliance, Reasons for non compliance.