Adherence to Immunosuppressive Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Background: Kidney transplantation requires strict adherence to the immunosuppressive therapy. Non-adherence is a common multifactorial problem among kidney transplant recipients. Objectives: To identify the factors influencing the adherence to the immunosuppressive therapy among kidney transplant recipients. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review. After establishing the inclusion and exclusion criteria and analyzing the studies, we selected 10 primary studies that answered the research question. These articles were published between 2009 and 2014 and were obtained through the online platforms EBSCOhost and Online Knowledge Library (B-on). Results: Adherence to immunosuppressive therapy is mainly influenced by socio-economic and cultural factors (age, gender, education, occupational situation), patient-related factors (forgetfulness, daily routines), condition-related factors (time since transplant, depression), and therapy-related factors (complexity of the therapeutic regimen). Conclusion: Knowing the factors that influence adherence allow planning (both educational and behavioral) nursing interventions aimed at promoting the adherence to immunosuppressive therapy, thus improving the patients’ health.