Background: Diabetes is one of the most common and costly chronic diseases worldwide and improving its outcome is very important in enhancing Quality of life. Physician empathy is important to feel at ease with your doctor, One of the most frequent tasks and back bone of patient-physician communication with diabetic patients.
Objective: Assessment of the frequency of medication adherence and the relationship between physicians' empathy and adherence to treatment among diabetic patients receiving health care in Primary Health Care centers (PHCC) in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients involved in primary health care centers in Buraydah, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabian in the period from April to September 2019. Physicians’ empathy score was assessed using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure and General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS) to document medication adherence.
Results: Adherent to treatment was 56.01%, factors affecting adherence were sex and marital status, complications showed significance increase in low adherent group, Physicians’ empathy score was significantly higher in adherent group, there was a significant negative correlation between Physicians’ empathy score and Adherence Score and Physicians’ empathy score was significantly higher in non-complicated patients.
Conclusion:
Empathy affects diabetic patients’ adherence to treatment, the more the physicians’ empathy score the better the adherence to treatment and the lesser the complication so better quality of life of the diabetic patients.