L'observance du traitement antidiabétique chez les patients diabétiques au Gabon : données préliminaires

The poverty of medication adherence in chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, is a general problem with heavy consequences on morbidity and mortality of diabetics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adherence to antidiabetic treatment in Gabon, the third country in the African region the most affected by the explosion of diabetes mellitus. We conducted a survey with an anonymous questionnaire to members of the Gabon association of diabetics to know if they took daily their treatment or not. If the answer was no, they were asked to specify the duration and causes of discontinuation. We have found that 39.8% admitted having discontinued their therapy for varying periods ranging from a few days to several years. The main reason was financial (80.5%) followed distantly by discouragement and particular beliefs, notably religious, and the use of traditional healers. In Gabon, there is a problem of adherence to diabetes medication justifying additional researches. Ignorance of this problem can increase the already high cost of diabetes and may explain the therapeutic escalation with a large number of patients treated with insulin.