Perceptions and experiences of taking oral medications for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta‐synthesis of qualitative studies

Abstract

AimsTo explore patients' perceptions and experiences of taking oral medications for the pharmacological management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (Type2DM). MethodsCinahl, EMBASE, Medline and PsycINFO databases were searched in 2014 to identify qualitative studies exploring patients' perceptions or experiences of taking medications for the management of Type2DM. Key concepts and themes were extracted and synthesised using meta-ethnography. ResultsEight studies were included. Primary study findings were synthesised to develop three higher order ConclusionsMedication taking for Type2DM is a unique adherence context, which requires the development of condition-specific interventions. Our findings indicate patients understand the need for medications but adjust dosage and timing in their daily lives. Our review suggests providers should acknowledge patient preferences in the development of management strategies and highlights an opportunity to direct the motivation evident in patients' experimentation towards potentially more beneficial medication taking behaviours.3

Medication adherence and persistence in type 2 diabetes mellitus: perspectives of patients, physicians and pharmacists on the Spanish health care system

“…The present findings are also consistent with previous studies, in which PC physicians and specialists emphasized the need to lower the number of daily diabetic medications to improve patients’ adherence, clinical outcomes and quality of life,37 whereas T2DM patients considered adjusting medication regimen to their daily lives more essential,22 stating that a more flexible dosing regimen that could be adapted to them would be an effective strategy to improve their adherence to antidiabetic therapy.…”

“…Moreover, recent evidence indicates that T2DM patients’ involvement in the disease management may improve adherence to therapy 22. Thus, some studies reported that patients increased their engagement and motivation if they perceived their preferences are considered in the development of management strategies, and consequently, medication adherence and clinical outcomes may improve 23…”

Beliefs about medicines as mediators in medication adherence in type 2 diabetes

“…It is also important to assess the type of adherence when determining the psychosocial factors that are involved. Besides illness representations and beliefs about medicines, it is important to study the impact of strategies to promote adherence such as reminders and dose organizers in patients with unintentional non‐adherence (McSharry, McGowan, Farmer, & French, ). Such a differentiation may help optimize interventions to the particular type of non‐adherence exhibited by the patient before it becomes established, during the course of diabetes.…”

Systematic Design of Trypsin Cleavage Site Mutated Exendin4-Cysteine 1, an Orally Bioavailable Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist

“…Currently, the treatments for these disorders are limited. Available medications are frequently associated with poor tolerability and patient compliance, thus resulting in sub-optimal outcomes [1,2]. The need for additional drugs or alternative treatments that are easily administered has become an urgent issue in biomedical research.…”