Compliance in black patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus receiving oral hypoglycaemic therapy
Venter, H.L.; Joubert, P.H.; Foukaridis, G.N.
South African Medical Journal 79(9): 549-551
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 2024212 Document Number: 386890
Poor compliance with drug therapy is an important cause of therapeutic failure. Sixty-eight black patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus receiving oral hypoglycaemic agents were interviewed and various factors, such as age, sex, degree of control and type of therapy, were recorded by means of a questionnaire. Compliance was determined by qualitively assessing urine for the presence of the drugs. An alarmingly high incidence of non-compliance of 65% was found, which could still be an under-estimation because of the long half-life of one of the drugs involved - chlorpropamide. Although interesting trends were noted, no statistically significant differences between compliant and non-compliant patients were found. In the light of the high incidence on non-complicance, a larger and more detailed study seems to be warranted to identify problem areas and to plan appropriate interventions.