Medication Bias During the Hospital-to-Family Transition Among Young and Middle-Aged Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of medication non-adherence among young and middle-aged Chinese individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and to explore the underlying causes of such deviations. METHODS: The Medication Discrepancy Tool (MDT) was used to assess medication deviations in a cohort of 100 patients who had been discharged from the hospital. Furthermore, 15 subjects were interviewed to gain a better understanding of their medication non-adherence experiences. RESULTS: The rate of medication deviation in the studied cohort was 79.5%, with the most frequent deviation being a reduction in the types of drugs taken. The primary cause of this deviation was found to be patient-derived, with the most common reason being symptom improvement. Iatrogenic medication deviation was most often caused by incomplete or inaccurate medication education for medical staff at discharge, resulting in patients having to guess their own medication. Internal and extrinsic motivating factors were identified as the primary causes of medication deviation behavior. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that medication non-adherence is a major issue among young and middle-aged Chinese individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is essential for nurses to be aware of the importance of medication adherence management and working.