Aim:

To evaluate the adherence to pharmacological therapy of diabetic patients and the degree of knowledge that they have about the disease through a cross-sectional study of 179 patients from a Basic Health Unit in the city of Imperatriz-MA.

Methods:

To collect the data, were used Morisky's and Green's Test and Diabetes Knowledge Scale (DKN-A), that are validated questionnaires. Of all patients interviewed, 58.7% had imperfect adherence, 32.4% were characterized as of the unintentional type and 67.6% had insufficient knowledge about the disease.

Results:

After data analysis was detected correlation of the degree of knowledge with sex, age, marital status and education, being sex female, age equal to or greater than 60 years old, living without a partner and low level of education, factors related to a lower degree of knowledge.

Conclusions:

The findings reinforce the necessity for interdisciplinary educational actions that involve socio-economic, psychoemotional and educational aspects in order to know the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that interfere in the control of the disease and that guide the process of adherence to the therapeutic plan, an integral attention and greater quality of life for the users.