Prospective memory slips are associated with forgetting to take glucose‐lowering therapies among adults with diabetes: results from the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES‐2) survey

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 2019-05, Vol.36 (5), p.569-577
• Main Authors: Trawley, S., Baptista, S., Pouwer, F., Speight, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Australia - epidemiology; Blood glucose; Cognitive ability; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent); Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Female; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Insulin; Male; Memory; Memory Disorders - complications; Memory Disorders - epidemiology; Memory, Episodic; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/dme.13873

Aims Prospective memory has been long considered a fundamental cognitive ability for optimal medication taking, but the role of prospective memory errors (termed ‘slips’) in diabetes self‐care is unclear. Our aim was to examine associations between prospective memory and medication taking in adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Some 901 adults with Type 1 diabetes and 927 with Type 2 diabetes completed a cross‐sectional survey focused on the psychological and behavioural aspects of living with diabetes. Respondents reported whether they had forgotten to take their diabetes medication over the previous 14 days. Results Twenty‐four per cent (n = 220) of adults with Type 1 diabetes and 23% (n = 211) with Type 2 diabetes reported that they had forgotten their medication at least once over the previous 14 days. This was associated with more prospective memory slips in adults with Type 1 diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05 to 1.13; P