Association Between Medication Adherence and Understanding of Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy in People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Medication adherence is critical for diabetes self-management. This study aimed to examine the association between medication adherence and understanding of diabetes and diabetic nephropathy in people with diabetes. In this cross-sectional study, 176 Type 2 diabetes participants were included out of 208 consented. Data on demographics and clinical characteristics were collected from medical records. A self-administered questionnaire survey collected data on participants' experiences with diabetes educational admission, experiences with diabetes care guidance, understanding of diabetes, understanding of diabetic nephropathy, and medication adherence. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between medication adherence and understanding of diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. The mean age was 67.3 years, and the duration of diabetes was 11.5 years, with 67.6% being male. Logistic regression analysis results indicated a significant association between medication adherence and understanding of diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-3.54), and that of diabetic nephropathy (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.06-1.88). The results of this study suggest that healthcare providers' assessment of patients' understanding of diabetic nephropathy and diabetes can provide useful information in confirming their medication adherence.