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Compliance with Medication amongst Persons with Diabetes Mellitus during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kerala, India: A Cross Sectional Study

Authors :
Ajan Maheswaran Jaya
Anthony D. Harries
Anisur Rahman
Mohammed Khogali
Palanivel Chinnakali
Bipin Gopal
Source :
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Vol 7, Iss 6, p 104 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

Compliance with medication in persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) has been a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to poor glycemic control and higher risk of complications. In the state of Kerala, India, 20–25% of adults have DM. Our cross-sectional study aimed to assess medication compliance and factors associated with poor compliance in DM persons attending selected primary care government facilities in Kerala during the COVID-19 pandemic. Persons registered with DM for >6 months were consecutively interviewed between August and September 2021. Poor compliance was defined as answering “No” to one or more of three questions related to access and intake of medication two weeks prior to and the day before the interview. Factors independently associated with poor compliance were assessed using adjusted prevalence ratios (aPr) and 95% confidence intervals. Of the 560 DM persons included, 209 (37%) exhibited poor compliance. Factors associated with poor compliance were age 19–45 years (aPr 1.4, 1.1–1.9); inability to be blood glucose tested during the COVID-19 pandemic (aPr 3.6, 2.9–4.3); not having COVID-19 (aPr 1.4, 1.0–1.9); and being double vaccinated against COVID-19 (aPr 1.4, 1.1–2.0). Focused attention must be paid to these groups to improve medication compliance and prevent DM complications and severe COVID-19-related disease.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
24146366
Volume :
7
Issue :
6
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.15778cec31ba488fa2b9229a84373115
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7060104