Medication adherence and quality of life in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship between medication adherence and quality of life (QOL) in adolescent patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) utilizing a multimethod adherence assessment approach. Methods: Medication adherence in 36 adolescents with IBD was assessed via interviews, pill counts, and biological assays. QOL was assessed via patient and parent report. Pediatric gastroenterologists provided disease severity assessments. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that adherence contributed significant variance to patient-reported QOL but not parent-reported QOL. Nonadherence to 6-MP/azathioprine was related to poorer patient-reported physical health QOL. Greater self-reported 5-ASA adherence was related to poorer overall psychological health QOL, and particularly social functioning QOL. Conclusions: Results provide preliminary support for the negative effects of 6-MP/azathioprine nonadherence on QOL and an inverse relationship between 5-ASA adherence and QOL in this population. Adherence burden in patients and the utility of multimethod adherence assessment in research are discussed. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved.