Longitudinal stability of specific barriers to medication adherence.
OBJECTIVE
Higher levels of barriers are related to lower medication adherence and negative medical outcomes in pediatric transplant recipients. Although total number of barriers appears to be stable over time, it is unclear whether the same is true for specific barriers. This study examined the frequency of endorsement and the stability of specific barriers over 18 months.


METHODS
Participants included 63 parents and 51 adolescents and young adults. Transplant types included 39 kidneys, 16 livers, 10 hearts, and 1 double lung. Participants completed measures of perceived barriers to adherence at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2).


RESULTS
The majority of parent- and adolescent-reported specific barriers showed a positive relationship from T1 to T2. Few specific barriers showed significant differences in the level of endorsement between time points.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific barriers to medication adherence tend to be stable over time. Patients' specific barriers appear unlikely to change without targeted intervention.
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine jenlee09@gmail.com.
Jennifer L
JL
Lee
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Cyd
C
Eaton
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Ana M
AM
Gutiérrez-Colina
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Katie
K
Devine
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Laura E
LE
Simons
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Laura
L
Mee
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Pain and the Brain, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Transplant Services/Emory University School of Medicine.
Ronald L
RL
Blount
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D066027:Transplant Recipients / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
adherence; adolescents; barriers; pediatric; transplantation