title: Patient perceptions of factors influencing adherence to medication following kidney transplant.
abstract: Research has shown that most patients with end-stage kidney failure prefer treatment by transplantation. This entails taking immunosuppressant drugs daily throughout the life of the kidney. Failure to do so causes transplant rejection and a return to dialysis, or sometimes even death. Up to 50% of transplanted patients report failing to take their medication as prescribed. This qualitative study used focus groups to explore patients' lived experience in relation to medication adherence. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The main themes to emerge were: fear of kidney failure, loyalty to the renal team and donors, health beliefs, forgetting and side-effects. Reasons for adherence were to avoid kidney failure and to acknowledge their gratitude to the renal team and donors. Participants suggested that non-adherence was largely due to forgetting.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Hartlepool, UK. anne.orr@nth.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Britton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires