The mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between social support and medication adherence in adults with type 2 diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the status of medication adherence in diabetic patients and its effective factors.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 170 diabetic patients in Iran. Participants were assessed for medication adherence, self-efficacy, and social support. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple stepwise regression were conducted to explore predictors for medication adherence.Results: Regression analysis showed that 48% of medication adherence changes stemmed from the four variables including social support, self-efficacy, income, and education levels, (R-2adj = 0.480, F = 39.943, p < 0.001). According to the model, the highest effects were related to income level (beta = 0.332, t = 5.493, p <= 0.001) and self-efficacy (beta = 0.330, t = 4.789, p <= 0.001), respectively. Based on the final model, only the social support variable showed no significant relationship with adherence (beta = 0.002, t = 0.032, p = 0.947).Conclusion: Social support and self-efficacy were related to medication adherence in diabetic patients, and social support can improve medication adherence in patients with diabetes by affecting self-efficacy. Healthcare workers who interact with individuals with diabetes should take into account the factors mentioned above when designing health promotion interventions to address the needs of these individuals.