MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING IMPROVES MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN DIABETES EDUCATION: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STUDY

Abstract

Medication adherence is crucial in the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, which often require complex medication regimens. Motivational interviewing (MI) has emerged as an effective approach for improving medication adherence in chronic disease state management. In this single-center quality improvement study, the impact of MI on medication adherence and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) levels in patients enrolled in a Diabetes Self-Management, Education, and Training program was evaluated. Participants completed a Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and had A1C and other clinical biomarkers recorded at baseline and each additional encounter. The proportion of days covered (PDC) was calculated for the six months prior to and after study enrollment. MI applied in a group setting and in a repeated format was found to be much more impactful on improving medication adherence than individual education or single application alone. The results showed that PDC increased in subjects attending group sessions (47.2%) and decreased in subjects attending individual sessions only (-32.6%). On the other hand, the greatest percentage reduction for A1C occurred in subjects attending individual sessions only (-7.1%). The study concludes that MI in a group setting and in a repeated format is more impactful in improving medication adherence in diabetes education