Access to Anti-Diabetic Medicines among Patients Attending Tertiary Health Facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria

Objective: The management of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is longterm and can be expensive. This study aimed to describe access to anti-diabetic medicines among patients in tertiary health care facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based crosssectional study. The study sites were the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho. It was conducted among ۳۶۶ diabetic patients who had been attending the endocrinology clinic of these two tertiary health institutions for at least one year. Data analysis was done with the Statistical Program for Social Sciences. Results: Female participants were ۱۸۶ (۵۰.۸%) and ۲۹۸ (۸۵.۶%) depended on close relatives to purchase their drugs. Those who had difficulties affording their anti-diabetic medications were ۱۴۲ (۳۸.۸%) and ۸۰ (۵۶.۳%) preferred buying a cheaper brand of antidiabetic medication. Also, ۱۳۶ (۳۷.۲%) respondents had missed their required drugs at some point due to insufficient funds. Males who were able to afford their anti-diabetic medication were ۹۶ (۵۳.۳%) compared to ۱۲۸ (۶۸.۸%) females (P-value= ۰.۰۰۲). Those with no formal education had the highest proportion of respondents who could not easily afford anti-diabetic drugs (۶۰.۹%), those with tertiary education had the highest proportion of respondents who could afford their medication (۷۷.۵%), (P-value=< ۰.۰۰۱). Among those in the ۶۱-۷۰ years age group, ۷۸ (۶۶.۱%) achieved glycaemic control compared to ۳۴ (۴۲.۵%) of those above ۷۰ years (P-value=< ۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: To improve affordability, subsidizing the cost of antidiabetic medications and encouraging patients to enrol in the Health Insurance Scheme will be beneficial.

Keywords:

Diabetes mellitus , Glycemic control , Anti-diabetic medicines , Nigeria