Improving diabetes treatment outcomes : an agent-based model of patients’ self-management behaviours and treatment outcomes in Ghana

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Adwubi Tagoe, Eunice Twumwaa and Megiddo, Itamar and Van Deer Meer, Robert; Harper, Alison and Luis, Martino and Monks, Thomas and Mustafee, Navonil, eds. (2025) Improving diabetes treatment outcomes : an agent-based model of patients’ self-management behaviours and treatment outcomes in Ghana. In: Proceedings of the Operational Research Society Simulation Workshop 2025 (SW25). The Operational Research Society, GBR, pp. 88-98. ISBN 9798331315078 (https://doi.org/10.36819/SW25.012)

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Abstract

Despite Ghana's national health insurance coverage for diabetes (DM) care, many patients struggle to achieve adequate blood glucose control due to challenges with medication access, affordability, and adherence. This study explores type 2 diabetes patients’ self-management behaviour and how it influences blood glucose control, medicine adherence and admissions within Ghana’s public health system. The study uses health behaviour theories, clinicians’ expertise, and evidence from published literature to build an agent-based model for improving understanding and examining the benefits of selected public health interventions: a 20% sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, increasing medicine availability and insurance coverage. Experiment results indicate that a 10% increase in insurance coverage for five consecutive years is more effective at improving blood glucose, reducing admissions and increasing medicine adherence than implementing a 20% SSB tax or a 10% increase in medicine availability. The results have implication for national insurance operation and diabetes service planning and delivery.

ORCID iDs

Adwubi Tagoe, Eunice Twumwaa ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2198-4980, Megiddo, Itamar ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8391-6660 and Van Deer Meer, Robert ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9442-1628; Harper, Alison, Luis, Martino, Monks, Thomas and Mustafee, Navonil
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)