Treatment adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus correlates with different coping styles, low perception of self-influence on disease, and depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND

Insulin analogs are regarded as more convenient to use than human insulin; however, they require a different administration scheme due to their unique pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. This study aimed to assess difficulties with adherence to treatment with insulin analogs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who had previously been treated with human insulin. The associations between difficulties with adherence and clinical, demographic, and psychological characteristics were also evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on 3,467 consecutively enrolled patients with T2DM (54.4% women), mean age 63.9 years (SD =9.57), who had recently undergone a physician-directed change in treatment from human insulin to insulin analogs. The questionnaires addressed difficulties with switching the therapy, coping styles, well-being, and perception of self-influence on the disease.

RESULTS

No adherence problems in switching therapy were reported in 56.6% of patients. Specific moderate difficulties were reported in 10.4%-22.1% of patients, major difficulties in 0.7%-6.9% of patients, and very significant difficulties in 0.03%-1.3% of patients. Overall, remembering to modify the insulin dose in the case of additional meals was the most frequently reported difficulty, and problems with identifying hypoglycemic symptoms were the least frequently reported. The increased risk of difficulties was moderately related to low perception of self-influence on diabetes and poor well-being. The intensity of problems was higher among those who were less-educated, lived in rural areas, had complications, and/or reported maladaptive coping styles.

CONCLUSION

Switching from human insulin to an insulin analog did not cause adherence problems in more than half of the patients. In the remaining patients, difficulties in adherence correlated with maladaptive coping styles, low perception of self-influence on disease course, and depressive symptoms.