<![CDATA[Degenerative diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension require long-term pharmacological treatment and consistent medication adherence to prevent complications and maintain patients’ health. Patient knowledge regarding disease characteristics, treatment objectives, medication use, and potential complications may influence adherence behavior. This study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge of degenerative diseases and medication adherence among patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension at Otanaha Regional General Hospital. This study employed a quantitative analytical approach with a cross-sectional design. The study population consisted of 52 patients, with 46 respondents selected using the Slovin formula, comprising 23 patients with diabetes mellitus and 23 patients with hypertension. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire and the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Data were analyzed using frequency distributions and Pearson correlation with a significance level of 0.05. Among patients with diabetes mellitus, moderate medication adherence was the most common category (43.48%), while good and moderate knowledge each accounted for 30.43%. A significant positive relationship was found between knowledge and medication adherence (p=0.047; r=0.315). Among patients with hypertension, the largest proportion was categorized as adherent (34.78%), while very good knowledge was most prevalent (30.43%). A significant and very strong positive relationship was observed (p=0.004; r=0.878). These findings indicate that better disease knowledge is associated with higher medication adherence, although the strength of the relationship differs between disease groups.]]>
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