Nonadherence to Immunosuppressants Among Transplant Recipients: Emotional Intelligence as a Predictive Factor During COVID-19 Pandemic

Concetta De Pasquale; Noemi Barbagallo; Massimiliano Veroux; Maria Luisa Pistorio; Domenico Zerbo; Alessia Giaquinta; Burcin Ekser; Pierfrancesco Veroux

doi:10.2147/PPA.S426358

Nonadherence to Immunosuppressants Among Transplant Recipients: Emotional Intelligence as a Predictive Factor During COVID-19 Pandemic

Patient Prefer Adherence. 2023 Nov 27:17:3083-3092. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S426358. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Concetta De Pasquale¹, Noemi Barbagallo², Massimiliano Veroux³, Maria Luisa Pistorio², Domenico Zerbo², Alessia Giaquinta², Burcin Ekser⁴, Pierfrancesco Veroux²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
² Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy.
³ Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy.
⁴ Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the association between emotional intelligence and fear of COVID-19 on self-reported adherence, based on a cross-sectional design.

Patients and methods: Transplants recipient of both sexes aged 23-75 years old were evaluated at the Organ Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Italy. Data were analyzed using frequency, descriptives, Spearman and Pearson correlations, Chi-square goodness of fit test, and linear regression. Self-reported adherence was estimated with the Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medication Scale (BAASIS). Emotional intelligence and fear of COVID were, respectively, measured with the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Multidimensional Assessment of COVID-19 Related Fears Scale (MAC-RF). This was a cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients. In reporting this study the authors followed the STROBE guidelines.

Results: A correlation was found between EIS and MAC and between EIS and adherence but there was no correlation between MAC and adherence. A linear regression model was also conducted using a stepwise method, which indicated that EIS was a significant predictor of adherence (p <0.05).

Conclusion: This study was found that EIS is a predictor of adherence to treatment in transplant patients. Fear of COVID, while positively correlated to EIS, is not correlated to the adherence's outcome, possibly due to the proper follow-up performed to the patients. Indeed, according to these results, we suggest to provide good follow-ups with recipients, with interviews also based on self-regulation and awareness.

Keywords: COVID-19; adherence; emotional intelligence; kidney transplant.