Medication Possession and Glycemic Control Among Uninsured Type 2 Diabetics

Diabetes is a complex disease, and patients face barriers to reaching glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1c) goals. A retrospective cohort chart review evaluated if the cost of diabetes medications is a barrier to glycemic goals in uninsured patients receiving reduced-cost medications. Thirty-five patients were followed over 6 months to determine the association between HgbA1c and medication possession, monthly income, drug costs/month/patient, and poverty level. Higher HgbA1c was associated with higher drug cost/month (P = 0.005), but better medication possession was not associated with lower HgbA1c levels. Providers should tailor care to address factors (other than cost) known to influence HgbA1c.