Why carry out this study?

Although past studies have revealed that patients’ poor knowledge of untreated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), such as medical complications, is associated with non-persistence to treatment, details on the association of knowledge of T2DM outcomes and treatment persistence have yet to be clarified.

This study is based on the hypothesis that the lack of knowledge regarding future problems with untreated T2DM and recognition of the need for treatment for progressive T2DM, such as the use of insulin or dialysis, may be associated with non-persistent treatment.

What was learned from this study?

Persistent treatment was prevalent in patients who anticipated outcomes associated with invasive treatments, such as dialysis, insulin injection, and shots.

If a patient’s behaviour is motivated by avoiding insulin, they may miss the opportunity for early insulin induction to improve their long-term prognosis.