A Descriptive, Correlational Study of Perceptions of Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients and Those Waiting for a Kidney Transplant About Managing Their Medications During a Pandemic

Prog Transplant. 2023 Dec;33(4):318-327. doi: 10.1177/15269248231212906. Epub 2023 Nov 14.

Abstract

Introduction: Little is known about COVID-19 impact on patient medication management. Research Question: The aim was to describe medication management, healthcare team interactions, and adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic in kidney transplant patients and those on the kidney transplant wait list. Design: Using a descriptive, correlational design 340 adults from a midwestern US transplant program were recruited. The Managing Medications in the Midst of a Pandemic Survey measured healthcare team encounters and medication management. The Basel assessment of adherence to medications scale measured medication adherence. Results: The response rate was 35% (119/340). During the pandemic, 88% had practiced/were currently practicing socially distancing, 85% had worn/were currently wearing a face mask in public, 18% had been/were currently diagnosed with COVID-19 and 82% received the vaccine. Medication management: 76% planned and organized their own medications. Healthcare team interactions: 89% met in the office, 20% via phone, 12% telehealth, and 13% delayed seeing a healthcare provider because of COVID-19 concerns. Pharmacy interactions: 11% changed their method of obtaining medications from pharmacy due to social distancing. Medication adherence implementation was problematic with 19% missing a dose; results from the binary logistic regression suggested that those with higher levels of education were more likely to report missing a dose. Conclusions: Patients acted to prevent COVID-19 but some still contracted the virus. The pandemic changed healthcare team medication management interactions. Adherence implementation problems were nearly 20%. Findings are relevant to the transplant healthcare team to understand the impact of a pandemic on patient/team interactions and medication adherence.

Keywords: adherence; clinical outcomes; correlational; drug adherence; general; quantitative methods; regression.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Kidney Transplantation* / methods
  • Medication Adherence
  • Pandemics
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Transplant Recipients

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents