Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) significantly impacts health in Uzbekistan, with a 7% prevalence among adults aged 20-79, affecting over 1.3 million people in 2021. The disease contributed to 16,670 deaths and incurred healthcare costs of approximately 277.6 million USD, projected to rise by 25% by 2030. Poor medication adherence can lead to severe complications such as hyperglycemia and cardiovascular diseases, making it essential to understand and improve adherence rates.

Objective: The objective of the research is to measure medication adherence levels among DM patients in Uzbekistan using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) method and to identify factors contributing to non-adherence.

Methodology: The 8-item MMAS was administered to patients to assess adherence over the past month, with scores ranging from 0 to 8. Additional data on sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and barriers to adherence were collected through structured questionnaires.

Results: The study involved 121 participants with DM, predominantly aged 60 years or older (51%), with a slight majority of females (55%). Most had a high school education (67%) and were non-smokers (82%). Hypertension was common (74%), followed by heart disease (33%) and obesity (29%). Adherence levels were high in 17% of participants, medium in 30%, and low in 53%. Common reasons for non-adherence included forgetting medication (77%), being too busy (40%), and medication delivery issues (28%). Financial constraints (28%) and the perception of taking too many medications (19%) were also significant factors. Finding prescribed medications at local pharmacies was challenging for 44% of the respondents, and 56% reported receiving insulin injections.

Conclusion: Understanding medication adherence patterns is crucial for effective management of DM. This research may inform the development of targeted interventions to improve adherence rates and enhance patient outcomes in Uzbekistan.