title: Association of caregiver health beliefs and parenting stress with medication adherence in preschoolers with asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the associations of parenting stress and caregiver negative health beliefs with medication adherence in a sample of preschool-aged children with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 43 caregivers and their child with asthma, aged 2-5 years, who were prescribed a preventative or controller medication. Assessment included parent report of parenting stress associated with parental characteristics and difficult child behavior, health-related beliefs, and adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Pharmacy refill records were reviewed to measure medication adherence objectively. Statistical analyses included paired samples t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parent-report and objective measures of adherence to ICS were significantly different, with parents reporting significantly higher rates of medication adherence (p < 0.001). Also, increased caregiver negative health beliefs, but not parenting stress, were significantly and negatively associated with an objective measure of ICS adherence (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the findings for parenting stress are not consistent with that of the literature on school-aged children with asthma, our results may suggest that preschool children are a unique developmental group. A review of endorsed health beliefs also highlights strengths and concerns for caregivers of these very young children. Overall, our study findings underscore the importance of caregivers' health-related beliefs in promoting adherence to ICS in young children with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center , New Orleans, LA , USA .
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Jocelyn O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: Deidre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones