title: Psychological perspective of medication adherence in transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the risk factors and the post-transplant psychological symptoms that affect adherence to therapy in a population of kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study examined the psychological variables likely responsible for the non-adherent behavior using a psychological-psychiatric assessment, evaluation of the perception of patients' health status, and an interview regarding the anti-rejection drug therapy assumption. The study included 74 kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with a higher level of education and more years since transplantation showed better mental balance. Regarding gender, women appeared to be less adherent to therapy. Further, the years since transplantation adversely affected the proper pharmacological assumption. Adherence to therapy did not significantly change with the mental health index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biopsychosocial illness model provides a conceptual frame of reference in which biological, psychological, and social aspects take on the same importance in the adherence to treatment protocols. For effective management, it is necessary to understand the patients' personal experiences, their assumptions about the disease, health status perception, and mood, and to identify any "barriers" that could cause them to become noncompliant.
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Pasquale
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veroux
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sinagra
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giusi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gozzo
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Concetta De Pasquale, Massimiliano Veroux, Michele Fornaro, Nunzia Sinagra, Giusi Basile, Cecilia Gozzo, Roberta Santini, Alessandra Costa, Maria Luisa Pistorio, Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Medical, Surgery Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pistorio
keywords: Adherence; Mental health; Psychiatric assessment; Psychological assessment; Transplantation