title: Medication beliefs and perceived barriers in adolescent renal transplant patients and their parents.
abstract: Understanding patient beliefs about medications and perceived barriers is important for optimal medical management. Differentiating adolescent views from parents' perceptions would enhance care by increasing communication about regimens and reducing obstacles. This study explored beliefs about medications and perceived barriers among 40 adolescent kidney transplant patients and their parents. Younger adolescents reported greater concern about medication harmfulness (t(38) = 2.190, p < 0.05) and more barriers, particularly for practical problems including forgetfulness, organization, and coordination (t(38) = 2.049, p < 0.05). Fathers with a lower education reported their children having greater challenges with medications due to taste and size (t(37) = 2.933, p < 0.01). Families with incomes in the low and high levels expressed that their children need more medication reminders (F (2, 35) = 7.815, p < 0.005), and adolescents from lower-income families perceived medication to be more harmful (F (2, 36) = 3.815, p < 0.05). Adolescents expressed challenges with practical aspects of medication taking, whereas parents were more focused on medications being necessary for their health. Adolescent renal patients experience challenges to medication management that may differ from their parents, findings that can help tailor interventions to improve medication management.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Psychology, La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. zelikovsky@email.chop.edu
authors.forename: Nataliya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zelikovsky
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010465:Perception; D055815:Young Adult