Medication adherence in older renal transplant recipients

Clin Nurs Res. 2010 May;19(2):95-112. doi: 10.1177/1054773810362039.

Abstract

This project examined patterns, predictors, and outcomes of medication adherence in a convenience sample of 37 renal transplant recipients aged 55 years or older in a Mid-Southern U.S. facility using an exploratory, descriptive, longitudinal design. Electronic monitoring was conducted for 12 months using the Medication Event Monitoring System. An alarming 86% of the participants were nonadherent with medications. Four clusters of medication taking and timing patterns were identified with evening doses presenting particular challenges. Depression, self-efficacy, social support, and medication side effects did not predict medication adherence. There was no significant difference in medication adherence scores between those with and without infections. Medication adherence pattern data from electronic monitoring provides an opportunity for health care professionals to move away from blaming the patient by attempting to identify predictors for medication nonadherence. Medication dose taking and timing patterns could be explored with patients so that medication adherence interventions could target specific patient patterns.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Clinical Nursing Research
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / etiology
  • Depression / psychology
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Monitoring / instrumentation
  • Drug Monitoring / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Kidney Transplantation / psychology*
  • Kidney Transplantation / statistics & numerical data
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence* / psychology
  • Medication Adherence* / statistics & numerical data
  • Microcomputers
  • Middle Aged
  • Self Efficacy
  • Social Support
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tennessee

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents