Role of illness and medication perceptions on adherence to medication in a group of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness and medication perceptions on medication adherence in a group of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 102 patients with type 2 diabetes was recruited from an outpatient clinic in Shiraz, Iran, using the convenience sampling method. The participants completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R), Belief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ), and Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS). Results: The findings of the study revealed that illness perception, including timeline (chronic the belief that diabetes would last a long time), predicted a higher level of medication adherence, while medication belief (concern holding concerns about the potential negative effects of medicines) predicted a lower level of adherence to medicines. This prediction was above and beyond the relevant and demographic variables such as age and the duration of illness. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that medication beliefs, such as concern about the negative effects of medicines, have an important role in the low level of adherence to medication for diabetic patients in Iran.