What can go wrong with the medication adherence a patient suffers due to diabetes distress? A narrative review

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health concern associated with distress. Distress is a rational emotional response to living with T2DM. Diabetes distress has been found to significantly affect the clinical outcome of T2DM. However, little is known regarding how distress may affect medication adherence. Objective: To investigate the relationship between distress and poor medication adherence in people with T2DM. Method: A literature search was conducted to identify relevant research articles published from 2014 to 2022 in three electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, and SpringerLink) regarding “diabetes distress”, “T2DM management” and “medication adherence”. In addition, a search was also carried out using Google Scholar. Results: A total of seven articles were identified. Amongst these articles, three studies revolved around evaluating the effect of diabetes distress on blood glucose control. All articles mentioned the significant association between distress and poor medication adherence, leading to seemingly comprehensive findings regarding the impact of diabetes distress on T2DM patients. Conclusion: It is important for healthcare providers, particularly pharmacists, to understand the holistic feature of T2DM patients.