Abstract

Medication adherence is critical for effective management of type 2 diabetes, yet many patients fail to follow prescribed treatment regimens. Identifying influencing factors is essential to develop strategies for improving adherence. Medication adherence plays a critical role in the management of type 2 diabetes, yet remains suboptimal in many settings. This study aimed to identify factors associated with medication adherence among outpatients with type 2 diabetes Đắk Nông General Hospital, Province Lam Dong. A cross-sectional design was employed using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), with a total sample of 403 patients. Results showed that 69.2% of participants demonstrated moderate to high adherence. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between adherence and several factors: educational level, disease duration, presence of complications, and dietary adherence. Specifically, patients with college or university education were less adherent (OR=0.188), as were those with diabetes duration of 5–10 years (OR=0.340). Conversely, patients without complications had a higher likelihood of adherence (OR=4.375), and adherence to a sugar-restricted diet also improved medication adherence (OR=0.460). Additionally, medication adherence was significantly associated with glycemic and HbA1C control. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions focusing on high-risk groups particularly those with higher education levels, longer disease duration, and poor dietary compliance and underscore the importance of tailored patient education and community-based support to improve treatment outcomes.