IMPACT OF NURSE-LED EDUCATION AND COUNSELING ON MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review was to describe and assess nurse-led interventions to enhance medication adherence and clinical outcomes among adults in community care. PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were searched for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that tested nurse-led interventions with community-dwelling patients and quantitatively measured adherence were included. Adherence and clinical outcomes were analyzed descriptively. Seventeen RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were of acceptable quality. The studies varied in sample size, loss to follow-up rates, study subject ages, medical conditions, and pharmacotherapy. The nurse-led interventions were complex and multifaceted. In conclusion, low-quality evidence suggests that some nurse-led interventions may improve medication adherence and clinical outcomes in patients suffering from any form of diabetes.