Understanding the struggle: Unique challenges of adherence in male diabetic patients in Tshwane

Background: Type 2 diabetes prevalence is steadily increasing worldwide, and South Africa is one of the countries in Africa with the highest prevalence of this disease, along with other non-communicable diseases. The adherence to treatment in male patients with type 2 diabetes is influenced by their attitudes towards medication and how they perceive their condition. To some extent, these factors impact the treatment outcomes for patients undergoing type 2 diabetes treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of male patients with type 2 diabetes on their adherence to diabetic therapy. The study was conducted in the clinics of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan municipality in Gauteng. Methods: This study followed a qualitative, exploratory design. Data were gathered from 15 male patients who were purposefully sampled through in-person, one-on-one interviews with the principal investigator. The eight steps outlined by Tesch were used to analyse the participant data. Results: Emergent themes indicated that there were barriers to adherence to diabetic treatment and also factors that promoted adherence to diabetic treatment among the participants. Several factors were found to affect treatment uptake among the participants. Conclusion: Patients demonstrated various reactions to diabetic treatment, highlighting the need for reinforcing education at the time of diagnosis and treatment initiation. Additionally, regular patient follow-up may be essential to improve adherence among patients. Contribution: The study highlights the importance of health promotion and the need to develop materials for medication-specific counselling for patients receiving diabetic treatment, in order to promote adherence.