Medication knowledge: an initial step in self-management for youth with inflammatory bowel disease

Adolescents with chronic illness need to develop skills to independently manage their own health. Knowledge of medication is an early step in this process. We explored which factors affect acquisition of medication knowledge in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Consecutive patients with IBD older than 10 years received a confidential survey at an outpatient visit including questions regarding medication name, dose, and adverse effects. Results were compared with the medical record. Demographic characteristics obtained included age, sex, disease duration, and type of IBD.

Completed surveys were returned by 294 patients (65% of those approached). Overall, 95% of patients could name their medication and 54% could identify their correct dose. Of 95 patients receiving biologics, 88% could identify the medicine and 50% could report either dose or timing. Of 139 patients on immunomodulator therapy, 94% could name medicine and 68% reported correct dose. Sex, type, or duration of disease did not affect name or dose knowledge. Generally, older patients did not demonstrate better medication or dosage knowledge than younger patients, although there was a significant trend toward improved knowledge of side effects for older patients. However, <32% of all of the patients could report a single major medication side effect.

Medication knowledge is an early stage of self-management, yet many adolescents cannot report the dose of IBD medications, nor know the side effects of immunosuppression. This finding persists into late adolescence, which has ramifications for patients as they separate from parents for college or work.