Receptiveness to Social Support: Understanding the Conflicting Relationship Between Social Support and Medication Adherence in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Out of the 38 million Americans living with diabetes, about 34 million have Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The chronicity of T2DM, the progression of the disease as pancreatic beta cells continue to decline in function, the propensity of the disease to affect multiple aspects of life, and the complex management strategies required to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications highlight the significance of diabetes management. Antidiabetic medications are utilized in diabetes management to enhance glycemic control. Although adherence to antidiabetic medications is crucial, non-adherence is common and attributed to a variety of factors, such as social support. While social support is a promising approach for improving medication adherence, research on its influence has produced conflicting results, with some studies reporting significant relationships and others not. Receptiveness to social support might explain the conflicting findings between social support and medication adherence. Thus, a qualitative descriptive study involving 14 adults with T2DM was conducted to describe (a) factors that motivate them to take medications as prescribed, (b) their perceptions of the role of social support in T2DM medication management, and (c) their receptiveness to current or future social support for medication taking. Thematic analysis identified five themes: receiving the diagnosis and taking medications for T2DM (motivational factors), receiving support (perceptions of social support), envisioning the future, and advising others (receptiveness to social support). Participants described internal and external motivators for taking their medications and how social support from their support system, including their family, positively influenced their medication management by providing emotional encouragement, practical advice, and increased confidence. Privacy, trust, perceived need, and reluctance to ask for help were identified as factors influencing receptiveness to social support. The findings provide crucial insights into social support’s influence on T2DM medication management. They suggest that individuals’ openness to social support influences its effectiveness in enhancing medication adherence. These insights can guide future studies to incorporate receptiveness to social support, providing a more comprehensive understanding and enabling the development of instruments to measure it and theories that account for its influence, thereby enhancing the use of social support-related resources to improve medication adherence.