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Social support, family variables, and compliance in renal transplant children
L M Foulkes1, S R Boggs, R S Fennell
1Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Insights
Family dynamics and stress impact pediatric renal transplant patients' medication adherence. Higher paternal support and family stress correlate with lower compliance to azathioprine and cyclosporine, especially in younger children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Transplant Medicine
- Psychology
Background:
- Medication compliance is crucial for renal transplant recipients.
- Understanding factors influencing adherence in pediatric patients is essential for long-term graft survival.
- Family functioning and social support are potential mediators of treatment adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between family functioning, social support, and medication compliance in children post-renal transplant.
- To identify specific familial factors associated with non-adherence to immunosuppressive medications.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 32 pediatric renal transplant recipients and their parents.
- Assessment of family functioning, perceived social support, and medication compliance.
- Statistical analysis to determine correlations between variables.
Main Results:
- Increased paternal emotional support and informativeness were linked to lower compliance with azathioprine and cyclosporine.
- Higher levels of family stress were associated with decreased azathioprine compliance.
- Younger children demonstrated lower compliance with cyclosporine compared to older children.
Conclusions:
- Family dynamics, including paternal support and stress, significantly influence medication adherence in pediatric renal transplant patients.
- Age is a factor in compliance, with younger children requiring targeted interventions.
- Findings highlight the need for family-centered approaches to improve adherence in pediatric transplant care.
Abstract:
The relationship between family functioning, social support, and medication compliance in 32 renal transplant children and their parents was examined. Results indicated that children whose fathers gave more emotional support or were more informative were less compliant with azathioprine and cyclosporine (P < 0.05 for both). Children from families experiencing numerous stresses were also found to be less compliant with azathioprine (P < 0.05). Finally, compared with older children, younger children were found to be less compliant with cyclosporine (P < 0.005). Implications for predicting child adherence and for future research relating to compliance with multidrug regimens are discussed.