Organ Transplantation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Transplantation, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery.

Identifying barriers to medication adherence in adolescent transplant recipients.

Simons LE, Blount RL

Pain Treatment Service, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02130, USA. laura.simons@childrens.harvard.edu

OBJECTIVE: To create Parent and Adolescent Medication Barriers Scales (PMBS and AMBS) for assessing perceived barriers to medication adherence in adolescent transplant recipients. METHODS: These scales were developed and initially validated with 78 families. Participants responded to questions concerning perceived barriers to medication adherence. To assess validity, data on contextual factors (e.g., family functioning) and adherence measures were collected. RESULTS: A principal components factor analysis resulted in the following subscales for the PMBS and AMBS: (a) Disease Frustration/Adolescent Issues, (b) Regimen Adaptation/Cognitive Issues, (c) Ingestion Issues, and (d) Parent Reminder (PMBS only). Significant associations were found between barrier scale scores, contextual factors, and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The PMBS and AMBS are brief and psychometrically promising scales for assessing perceived barriers to adherence in adolescent transplant recipients.

Published 10 July 2007 in J Pediatr Psychol, 32(7): 831-44.
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