Abstract
Solid organ transplantation requires ongoing adherence to immunosuppressants and other medications. Although adolescence is a risk factor for poor medication-taking, little is known about the patterns of adherence within individuals over time. This study aimed to examine the stability of adherence over time using three different assessment techniques. Sixty-six AYA transplant recipients and/or their caregiver completed interviews of adherence at baseline and at least one yr later. Serum immunosuppressant assay levels were collected via medical chart review. Non-adherence percentages based on AYA report, caregiver report, and bioassay did not differ from Time 1 to Time 2. However, correlations for these measures across time were non-significant. Further, the majority of AYAs shifted to a different adherence category from Time 1 to Time 2. Overall, these results demonstrate individual variability in non-adherence over the course of adolescence and young adulthood and highlight the importance of frequent assessment across time for solid organ transplant recipients.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 428-435 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Pediatric transplantation |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- adherence
- adolescents
- solid organ transplantation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Transplantation