Current medical research and opinion
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Adhering to prescribed medication is often a problem for patients with diabetes yet there is no consensus on how best to measure adherence in this patient population. This systematic literature review critically reviewed and summarized the methods used to measure medication adherence in patients with diabetes (on oral hypoglycemic agents [OHAs] and/or insulin) in original research published between 2007-2013. ⋯ No gold standard exists for measuring medication adherence in patients with diabetes. The plethora of adherence methods precludes the comparison of adherence rates across studies. Greater consistency is therefore needed in adherence measurement, including question content, recall period, and response options for self-report measures. Novel methods for understanding adherence to variable-dosed insulin require further research. Researchers should select a methodology that best fits their research question, study design, patient population and resources.
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Adhering to prescribed medication is often a problem for patients with diabetes yet there is no consensus on how best to measure adherence in this patient population. This systematic literature review critically reviewed and summarized the methods used to measure medication adherence in patients with diabetes (on oral hypoglycemic agents [OHAs] and/or insulin) in original research published between 2007-2013. ⋯ No gold standard exists for measuring medication adherence in patients with diabetes. The plethora of adherence methods precludes the comparison of adherence rates across studies. Greater consistency is therefore needed in adherence measurement, including question content, recall period, and response options for self-report measures. Novel methods for understanding adherence to variable-dosed insulin require further research. Researchers should select a methodology that best fits their research question, study design, patient population and resources.