Barriers to oral medication adherence for adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
To identify family-reported, adherence-related barriers for adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and examine their relationship to 6-MP/azathioprine and 5-ASA medication adherence.


METHODS
Participants included 74 adolescents, aged 13-17 years, diagnosed with IBD and their caregivers. Adolescents and caregivers jointly completed a measure of barriers to medication adherence. Adherence to medication was measured by family-report, pill-count, and serum assay.


RESULTS
Families endorsed one to seven total barriers to medication adherence. The most commonly reported barriers included forgetting, being away from home, and interference with an activity. Neither demographic nor disease severity variables were related to the total number of reported barriers. Fewer total reported barriers was related to better adherence by adolescent and maternal report.


CONCLUSIONS
Most families experience at least one barrier to treatment adherence. Effective problem-solving around these barriers and its integration into future treatment protocols may help improve medication adherence in the pediatric IBD population.
Center for the Promotion of Treatment Adherence and Self-Management, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 7039, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA.
Lisa M
LM
Ingerski
Robert N
RN
Baldassano
Lee A
LA
Denson
Kevin A
KA
Hommel
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D019804:Mesalamine; D001379:Azathioprine