Pharmacist-Led Comprehensive Medication Management Improves Glycemic Control and Adherence in Women with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a growing global concern, with women in India facing high prevalence and poor medication adherence, which hinders glycemic control and increases complication risk.

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) on medication adherence and glycemic control in women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Belagavi, India, with 218 women with T2DM assigned to an intervention group (n=109) receiving pharmacist counseling plus standard care or a control group (n=109) receiving standard care alone. Counseling covered adherence strategies, lifestyle changes, and diabetes education. Outcomes over 9 months included the Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale to Self-Validated Medication Adherence Scale, glycated Hemoglobin (HbA_1C), and Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG).

Results

Baseline characteristics were comparable. At 9 months, HbA_1C ≤8% was achieved by 87.1% of the intervention group versus 40.3% of controls (p<0.001; 95% CI, 33.5%-60.1%). At 9 months, 94.4% of the intervention group achieved FBG ≤126 mg/dL versus 73.3% of controls (p<0.001; 95% CI, 12.5%-29.7%). Mean MA scores improved from 5.73±1.88 to 7.12±1.58 in the intervention group (p<0.001), with minimal change in controls.

Conclusion

Pharmacist-led CMM significantly improved adherence and glycemic control in women with T2DM. Incorporating pharmacists into routine diabetes care can enhance outcomes and reduce disease burden, particularly in resource-limited settings.