Purpose: Our aim was to examine the beliefs on immunosuppressive medication (IM) and IM adherence in Chinese renal transplant recipients, and explore the predictors of IM adherence. Methods: Across-sectional survey was conducted in Chinese renal transplant recipients from a fellow-up outpatient center. Self-developed IM Beliefs questionnaire guided by health belief model was used to measure beliefs about IM. Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used to assess drug adherence. Other social demographic variables including age gender marital status, post-transplantation time, and education were also collected. Findings: Two hundred and eight patients were recruited in the study. The non-adherence rate to IM was30.2% (63 patients, 30.2%). which was similar to the finding of our study two years ago (65 patients, 31.3%). Statistically significant associations were found between adherence and the marital status (P=0.000). In addition, perceived seriousness of not taking IM (P=0.000) and perceived barriers of taking IM (P=0.000) were significantly associated with IM adherence. After controlling other factors, “married” marital status, high levels of perceived seriousness of not taking IM and lower levels of perceived barriers of taking IM(P=0.007) significantly predicted better IM adherence. Implications: Marital status and IM beliefs are important predictors of IM adherence in Chinese renal transplant recipients. These results might provide conceptual underpinnings to guide the clinical practice of IM education to improve adherence in Chinese renal transplantation recipients.

CITATION INFORMATION: Liu J., Liu S., Xie J., Yan J. Predictors of Immunosuppressive Medication Adherence in Chinese Renal Transplant Recipients: Marital Status and Immunosuppressive Medication Beliefs Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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