Complementary and alternative medicine use in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relationship with medication adherence

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its relationship with adherence to long-term medical therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: The research was designed as a descriptive study. 100 (a hundred) patients who were using oral antidiabetic for at least one year were included in the study. A questionnaire to determine sociodemographic characteristics and CAM use and a six-item Turkish Modified Morisky Scale for the measure of medication adherence were applied to the participants. Results: 55% of patients (n=55) used at least one CAM practice. The most commonly used practice was herbal medicine [80% (n = 44)]. The main reasons for using CAM were to relieve complaints and support their conventional treatment, and 85.5% (n=47) of patients did not consult their physicians about the use of these practices. There was no statistically significant relationship between CAM use and medication adherence. Conclusion: The fact that patients do not consult a doctor while using CAM shows that we need to be careful about toxicities and dose insufficiency due to drug-herb interactions. Physicians should effectively investigate the use of these therapies in addition to the drug history of their patients. Therefore, all physicians should have at least basic knowledge of CAM and learn how to access evidence-based information about these practices.