Caregiver's Health Locus of Control and Medication Adherence in Sickle Cell Disease.
BACKGROUND
The authors would like to thank Dr. Morisky for giving us permission to use the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale


OBJECTIVE
To explore caregivers' Health Locus of Control's relationship to self-reported adherence to penicillin prophylaxis or hydroxyurea in children with sickle cell disease (SCD).


METHODS
A questionnaire-based study was conducted of caregivers of children with SCD who visited a comprehensive sickle cell center in an inner city hospital, who were either on penicillin prophylaxis or hydroxyurea or both. Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC) and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) questionnaires were used for the study.


RESULTS
Caregivers of 43 children (27 on penicillin prophylaxis, 13 on hydroxyurea, and 3 on both) completed the MHLC and the MMAS-8. There was no significant difference in adherence between the penicillin and the hydroxyurea groups. The mean Powerful Others score of caregivers of the hydroxyurea only group (25.5+5.6) was higher than that of the penicillin only group (21.2+6.1, p=0.043). Regression analysis revealed an inverse relationship of Chance Locus of Control to adherence in the entire group (Beta = -0.306, R2=0.093, F[1,40]=4.12, p=0.049).


CONCLUSIONS
Chance Locus of control may identify caregivers of children with SCD at risk for non-adherence to treatment.
Department of Pediatrics, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York. Electronic address: kviswana@bhmcny.org.
Kusum
K
Viswanathan
Department of Pediatrics, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Neeraja
N
Swaminathan
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Ramaswamy
R
Viswanathan
Department of Pediatrics, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Madhavi
M
Lakkaraja
caregivers; health locus of control; medication adherence; sickle celldisease