For people who are diabetic or prone to diabetes, having a steady job appears to be good for their health.

And the benefit lies in their adherence to anti-diabetic medications, and not just because of the insurance coverage, according to a new University of Michigan study.

It found that that jobless working-age people with diabetes are less likely to adhere to their oral anti-diabetic medications than diabetics who are employed.

Further, people of working age with diabetes are more likely to be unemployed than those who do not have diabetes.

The lack of a clear-cut, cause-and-effect relationship between insurance and medication adherence surprised lead researcher Rajesh Balkrishnan of the U-M College of Pharmacy and School of Public Health.

“Improved use of medications is more than just a facet of having medical insurance. It is linked to bigger issues such as being employed, periods of joblessness or a personal financial strain,” said Balkrishnan, who believes that a healthier, active lifestyle and access to medical care resources through employers that want employees to remain productive play a big role in adherence.

Other factors that account for lack of medication adherence include lack of financial resources, stress due to unemployment and lack of access to health care.

Researchers looked at diabetes because it is one of the most commonly present chronic conditions in working-age adults, and globally it is the seventh-leading cause of death and the eighth-most costly disease to treat, Balkrishnan said.

BDST: 1229 HRS, Nov-06, 2013
SIS/RK