Comparison of anti-diabetic drug compliance between patients with and without diabetic foot

Aim: Our study aims to examine the level of treatment adherence in patients diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus, the various factors affecting treatment adherence, the impact of treatment adherence on the development of diabetic foot, and the relationship between different factors influencing the development of diabetic foot. Materials and Methods: Our study is a cross-sectional and controlled study conducted between 01.08.2024 and 31.12.2024 at the Family Medicine Department of Samsun University Faculty of Medicine, the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Center outpatient clinic of Samsun Training and Research Hospital, and the Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine outpatient clinic of Samsun Training and Research Hospital, involving individuals aged 18 and older diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Participants were administered a data collection form covering sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, a diabetic foot data collection form for patients with diabetic foot, and the Morisky 8-Item Medication Adherence Questionnaire(MMAS-8). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0 for Windows, with a significance level set at p<0,05. Results: Our study, conducted with a total of 343 participants, had a mean age of 63.2±10.6 years. Among them, 54.2% were female, 75.5% were married, 46.9% had completed primary school, and 65.9% had an income at or below the minimum wage. Of the participants, 19.5% smoked, and 4.4% consumed alcohol. The average score obtained from the MMAS-8 was 5.65±2.02. Regarding adherence levels, 42.9% of participants had poor adherence, 33.5% had moderate adherence, and 23.6% had good adherence. Foot ulcers were found in 29.9% of the poor adherence group, 34.8% of the moderate adherence group, and 32.1% of the good adherence group, with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0,706). A statistically significant difference was observed between MMAS-8 scores and age(p<0,001), gender(p=0,038), and smoking status(p=0,025). Diabetic foot ulcers were present in 32.1% (n=110) of the participants. A significant relationship was found between diabetic foot ulcers and gender(p<0,001), marital status(p=0,034), education level(p=0,040), income level(p=0,002), type of medication used in treatment(p<0,001), frequency(p<0,001), and location of check-ups(p<0,001), regular blood sugar monitoring(p<0,001), and diet(p<0,001). Conclusion: Our study found no association between diabetic foot development and treatment adherence. However, treatment adherence was significantly lower in individuals with long-standing foot ulcers. Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Foot, Treatment Adherence