Background:

Diabetes mellitus demands a responsible behavior for its treatment and this therapeutic adherence is a complex phenomenon when being conditioned by multiple factors of diverse nature.

Objective:

To determine the levels of knowledge of the illness and self-esteem in type 2 patients, adhered to and non-adhered to at the treatment.

Methodology:

Descriptive study, of traverse court. A universe of 30 type 2 diabetic patients from the clinic 3, Cartagena Popular Council, (11 adhered to at the treatment and 19 non-adhered to) was studied. A review of medical records was used, also a questionnaire to evaluate the therapeutic adherence in patients with diabetes, a questionnaire of knowledge of the disease, and an inventory of self-esteem of Cooper Smith.

Results:

Low levels of knowledge of the illness prevailed, patient trustworthy 46 % middle levels and 54 % low levels; patient didn’t follow the treatment: 42 % middle levels and 58 % low levels. High and middle levels prevailed of self-esteem and means the trustworthy ones showed bigger high levels of self-esteem (64 % follow the treatment- 47 % didn’t follow the treatment).

Conclusions:

It was evident the relation between the therapeutic adherence and the levels of knowledge of the illness and self-esteem. The importance of investigating and determining influence factors for the therapeutic adherence, related to the patient, is corroborated, such as knowledge of the disease and self-esteem for a better and comprehensive control of the disease from a comprehensive and multifactorial approach.

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