Family functionality, medication adherence, and blood glucose control among ambulatory type 2 diabetic patients in a primary care clinic in Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Family functionality is a patient-oriented medical outcome of care that is emerging in scientific literature. It is a family-related factor that influences medication adherence and glycemic control, yet it is not easily recognized by clinicians. AIM: The study was aimed at determining the role of family functionality on medication adherence and glycemic control among ambulatory type 2 diabetic patients in a primary care clinic in Nigerian. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinic-based descriptive study was carried out on 120 type 2 diabetic Nigerians who were on treatment for at least 3 months at the primary care clinic in Nigeria. Family functionality and medication adherence were assessed in the previous 3 months and 1 month preceding the study using General Functioning Subscale of the Family Assessment Device and interviewer-administered questionnaire on self-reported adherence to therapy, respectively. Glycemic control was assessed in the previous 1 month. RESULTS: The age of the study participants ranged from 27 to 81 years and there were 37.5% males and 62.5% females. Healthy family function, medication adherence, and glycemic control rates were 90.8%, 72.5%, and 61.7%, respectively. Family functionality was significantly associated with household family (P = 0.048), medication adherence (P = 0.031), and glycemic control (P = 0.022). The most significant demographic predictor of family functionality was household family (odds ratio = 5.19 (3.31-7.01); P = 0.029). The type 2 diabetic patients in household families were five times more likely to have functional families compared to their counterparts who were from nonhousehold families. CONCLUSION: Family functionality was significantly associated with household family, medication adherence, and glycemic control. Assessment of family functionality should be part of reason for encounter during consultation with diabetic patients in order to unravel family factors that can positively or negatively influence medication adherence and glycemic control.