Ethnic disparities in medication adherence? A systematic review examining the association between ethnicity and antidiabetic medication adherence

ObjectivesAdherence to prescribed medication is an essential component of diabetes management to obtain optimal outcomes. Understanding the relationship between medication adherence and ethnicity is key to optimising treatment for all people with different chronic illnesses, including those with diabetes. The aim of this review is to examine whether the adherence to antidiabetic medications differed by ethnicity among people with diabetes. MethodsA systematic review was conducted of studies reporting adherence to antidiabetic medication amongst people from different ethnic groups. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched from their inception to June 2022 for quantitative studies with a specific focus on studies assessing adherence to antidiabetic medications (PROSPERO: CRD42021278392). The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist and a second checklist designed for studies using retrospective databases were used to assess study quality. A narrative synthesis approach was used to summarize the results based on the medication adherence measures. ResultsOf 17,410 citations screened, 41 studies that included observational retrospective database research and cross-sectional studies were selected, each of which involved diverse ethnic groups from different settings. This review identified a difference in the adherence to antidiabetic medications by ethnicity in 38 studies, despite adjustment for several confounding variables that may otherwise explain these differences. ConclusionThis review revealed that adherence to antidiabetic medication differed by ethnicity. Further research is needed to explore the ethnicity-related factors that may provide an explanation for these disparities.

Automated summary

Medication adherence is crucial for diabetes management, and understanding its relationship with ethnicity is important for optimizing treatment for different chronic illnesses. This review examined whether there were differences in adherence to antidiabetic medications among people of different ethnicities. The results showed that despite adjustments for confounding variables, there were differences in medication adherence by ethnicity in 38 studies. Further research is needed to explore ethnicity-related factors that may explain these disparities.