Research Article

Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients

Volume: 8 Number: 2 August 28, 2025
TR EN

Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between frailty and medication adherence in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS and METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Konya City Hospital between May and November 2021, including 194 diabetic patients aged 60 years and older. Frailty status was assessed using the FRAIL scale, and medication adherence was evaluated with the 8-item morisky medication adherence scale The Modified Charlson Comorbidity index was used to quantify comorbidity burden. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and logistic regression models. RESULTS: The median age of the participants was 67 years (IQR: 64-71), and 69.6% were female. The prevalence of frailty was 50%, and no significant association was found between frailty and medication adherence (p=0.318). However, variables independently associated with low adherence included shorter diabetes duration (p=0.049), lack of diabetes education (p=0.020), and higher HbA1c levels (p=0.010). Patients with low adherence monitored their blood glucose significantly less frequently (p=0.008) and had a higher risk of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Frailty was not significantly associated with medication adherence in elderly diabetic patients. Instead, diabetes education, glycemic control, and self-monitoring practices played a more significant role. These findings highlight the importance of structured education programs and individualized interventions to improve adherence. Future studies with larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-up are needed to better understand the complex interplay between frailty and adherence.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The study was carried out in accordance with ethical principles and was approved by the Hamidiye Scientific Research Ethics Committee of the University of Health Sciences on April 26, 2021 (decision no: 30162). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Aged Health Care

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

August 28, 2025

Submission Date

May 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 8 Number: 2

APA
Yapıcı, İ., Yortanlı, B. Ç., Dağ, M., Saçkan, F., & Kızılarslanoğlu, M. C. (2025). Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi, 8(2), 62-70. https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ
AMA
1.Yapıcı İ, Yortanlı BÇ, Dağ M, Saçkan F, Kızılarslanoğlu MC. Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi. 2025;8(2):62-70. https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ
Chicago
Yapıcı, İlhan, Betül Çiğdem Yortanlı, Mikail Dağ, Fatih Saçkan, and Muhammet Cemal Kızılarslanoğlu. 2025. “Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients”. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi 8 (2): 62-70. https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ.
EndNote
Yapıcı İ, Yortanlı BÇ, Dağ M, Saçkan F, Kızılarslanoğlu MC (August 1, 2025) Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi 8 2 62–70.
IEEE
[1]İ. Yapıcı, B. Ç. Yortanlı, M. Dağ, F. Saçkan, and M. C. Kızılarslanoğlu, “Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients”, Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 62–70, Aug. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ
ISNAD
Yapıcı, İlhan - Yortanlı, Betül Çiğdem - Dağ, Mikail - Saçkan, Fatih - Kızılarslanoğlu, Muhammet Cemal. “Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients”. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi 8/2 (August 1, 2025): 62-70. https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ.
JAMA
1.Yapıcı İ, Yortanlı BÇ, Dağ M, Saçkan F, Kızılarslanoğlu MC. Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi. 2025;8:62–70.
MLA
Yapıcı, İlhan, et al. “Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients”. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 2, Aug. 2025, pp. 62-70, https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ.
Vancouver
1.İlhan Yapıcı, Betül Çiğdem Yortanlı, Mikail Dağ, Fatih Saçkan, Muhammet Cemal Kızılarslanoğlu. Evaluation of Medication Adherence According to Frailty Status in Older Diabetic Patients. Ege Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi [Internet]. 2025 Aug. 1;8(2):62-70. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA22PZ52FJ

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