Long‐term adherence to glucose‐lowering medications in adults with diabetes: A data linkage study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: AIMS: To determine the adherence rate in users of each class of glucose-lowering medication and identify the key socio-demographic factors influencing adherence. METHODS: The 45 and Up Study is an ongoing cohort study of residents aged ≥45 years in New South Wales, Australia. We analysed Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme records from 2013 to 2019 of the 21 341 study participants who self-reported having diabetes. Medication adherence was estimated as the proportion of days covered for each 12-month period for up to the fifth 12-month period. RESULTS: A consistent pattern was observed across all drug classes, where the percentage of adherent (proportion of days covered ≥0.8) users was highest in the first 12 months, followed by a drop in the second 12 months. For prevalent users on the same drug class for the full 5-year period, higher percentages of adherent users compared to the first 12 months were observed for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (77.7% vs 74.2%). For incident users on the same drug class for the full 5-year period, a higher percentage of adherent users compared to the first 12 months was observed for sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (84.2% vs 78.4%). Moreover, no socio-demographic subgroup was consistently more or less adherent to medications. CONCLUSIONS: Initial adherence was good and remained relatively high over time in this cohort. Nevertheless, adherence was still a challenge in some individuals. Practitioners should recognize the possibility of non-adherence and consider this at each consultation.
Source: Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism
DOI: 10.1111/dom.16408
Institutions: The University of Sydney, Curtin University
Language: English
Subfield: Family Practice
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,380
Awards: G2117680399, G3458012626, Generating evidence for a strong foundation: using population health data for translational child health, healthcare and policy, G4377530729, Finding the sweet spot: which diabetes prevention and management services and programs should we invest in to deliver the biggest health gains over the long term?
OpenAlex ID: W4409707474