ASSESSMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, PRESCRIBING PATTERNS, MEDICATION ADHERENCE AND IMPACT OF PATIENT EDUCATION ON DIABETICS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY

Background: There is a rise in a number of diabetes mellitus patients globally, but awareness of the disease, symptoms, medication use, associated complications, and comorbidities are low among Indians. The objective of the study was to evaluate the epidemiology of diabetes, prescribing patterns, and medication adherence and the impact of patient education on diabetes in a rural community. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and community-based study was conducted on 100 randomly selected known diabetic patients by direct interview at their doorsteps using data collection form, glucometer, patient leaflet, and brief medication questionnaire. The data contained information about socio-demographic details, knowledge about the disease, medication use, adherence, lifestyle changes, complications and co-morbidities, and measurement of their random blood sugar levels before and after counseling. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results: There were 63% females and 37% males; the maximum number of patients was in the age group 51-60 years, and the mean age was 51.6 ± 11.1years. The most commonly used drugs were biguanides, followed by sulfonylureas. The Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ) showed patient medication adherence 32% with a non-adherence of 68%. There is a significant improvement among the patients’ random blood sugar after patient counseling (p=0.0001). Conclusion: The obtained knowledge about the various aspects of care among diabetics at an individual level was inadequate, requiring periodic counseling for improving medication adherence and to obtain glycemic control.