Self-Care Practices and Drivers of Anti-Diabetic Type 2 Medication Non-Compliance among Patients Accessing Healthcare at a Health Facility in Ghana
Maxwell Owusu Peprah *
Presbyterian Nursing and Mid-wifery Training College, Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana.
Wisdom Djange Ogbordjor
Laboratory Department, Volta River Authority Hospital, Ghana.
Mark Danquah
Sunyani Technical University, Ghana.
Hopeson Nimo Yeboah
Laboratory Department, Volta River Authority Hospital, Ghana.
Barbara Kuusangna Irenchebe Anchirinah
Kwatire Polyclinic, Sunyani, Ghana.
Emmanuel Kwadwo Adomako
Laboratory Department, Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic chronic disease affecting a majority of adults with associated complications. The non-compliance to the anti-diabetic medication has become a global challenge to achieving optimal glucose control among Diabetes Type 2 patients. This study, therefore, sought to determine the self-care practices and drivers of anti-diabetic type 2 medication non-compliance among patients accessing health care at Volta River Authority Hospital in Akosombo of Ghana.
Methods: A quantitative study and descriptive cross-sectional design employed a simple random sampling technique to recruit 220 diabetes type 2 patients by administering a structured questionnaire face to face to gather data. Data were analysed with the help of Stata 16. A descriptive and inferential statistic was conducted to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables at a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statically significant.
Results: The study found that non-adherence to anti-diabetic medication was 45.5%. Most of the participants had inadequate (52.3%) self-care practices. Age of participants (40-49) years [p=0.0001], Female [p=0.004] significantly influenced non-compliance. Being Single [p=0.001] and presence of comorbidity [p=0.001] also associated with medication non-compliance.
Conclusion: The study concluded that a significant proportion of diabetes type 2 patients do not comply with anti-diabetic medication and this was influenced by inadequate self-care practices, age, female, comorbidity and being single. The study recommended the intensification of awareness creation on complications of non-complying to anti-diabetic medication and education on self-care practices through mass media. Further studies are required to identify the possible predictors of inadequate self-care practices that influence anti-diabetic medication non-compliance.
Keywords: Self-care, diabetes type 2, medication, non-compliance, volta river authority hospital, Ghana