Background: Medication adherence is often low in renal transplant recipients (RTR) and is in part due to inadequate knowledge. Therefore, new tools to identify medication knowledge deficits and to enhance education are needed. Methods: Starting March 2016, adult, 1st time deceased donor RTRs were consented at our center between 1-2 months (mos) and randomized to 1 of 3 groups: Transplant provider education group: additional education provided by transplant coordinator at mos 3 visit. Transplant provider education and medication list group: additional education provided by transplant coordinator and provided a medication list from MedActionPlan™ (MAP) program at mos 3 visit. Control group: RTRs did not undergo any of the above noted interventions. At mos 2 visit, all RTRs completed demographic screening, Newest Vital Sign™ (NVS) test for health literacy and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). At 3 and 4 mos visits, all RTRs completed an electronic transplant-related medication questionnaire provided by MAP. To date, 24 RTRs completed all visits and 5 completed 1st visits. Results: RTRs mean age was 54 ± 11 yrs, 59% were male, and 59% identified as Black. English was the primary language in 97% of RTRs and all completed high-school. Almost half (48%) RTRs had MoCA scores classified as mild cognitive impairment at 2 mos and 28% had NVS scores indicative of possibility of limited health literacy. Among RTRs with NVS scores suggesting limited health literacy and mild cognitive impairment by MoCA (n = 6), 100% answered at least 1 question at mos 3 visit incorrectly or as” I do not know the answer to this question” vs 55% who did not have either limitation detected (n = 11). Overall, 41% of RTRs had fewer questions wrong on their medication questionnaires from mos 3 to 4 visits (by group: Transplant provider education: 43%, Transplant provider education/medication list: 43%, Control: 38% improvement respectively), and 2 RTRs scored 100% at both visits. Conclusions: This innovative approach allowed us to more readily identify and intervene on transplant-related medication education deficits. Cognitive impairment and/or the possibility of limited health literacy, were common in our population, but were not barriers to improvement in transplant-related medication knowledge.

CITATION INFORMATION: Trofe-Clark J, Gbemudu W, Ryan S, Sawinski D, Lim M, Goral S, Bleicher M, Bloom R, Reese P. Assessments of Literacy, Cognitive Function and Transplant Medication Knowledge in Renal Transplant Recipients. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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