The following navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move through main tier links and expand / close menus in sub tiers. Up and Down arrows will open main tier menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
Ali Fakih, Dr. Veronica Dinaj Kochi, and Dr. Karen MacDonell, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3939 Woodward Avenue, Detroit MI 48201
Youth of color have poorer asthma control than Caucasian youth, even after controlling for socioeconomic variables. Research on interventions to improve medication adherence in racial minority populations is limited. The study aims to develop and test a technology-based intervention to improve adherence to controller medications in African American emerging adults (AAEA) (18-29). Identifying factors that may affect adherence is imperative to improving medication adherence in AAEA. The current study utilized baseline data from the intervention to explore asthma-related anxiety and perceptions of asthma impact self-reported adherence. We hypothesized that asthma-related anxiety would be associated with lower adherence and perceived self-efficacy. Study included N=122 AAEA (males = 26), with a mean age of 23.0 years with persistent asthma and suboptimal medication adherence. Youth were recruited from the Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University. Half of the sample was randomized to receive a multi-component technology-based intervention targeting adherence. This consisted of 2 computer-delivered motivational interviewing sessions and individualized text message medication reminders between sessions. Control participants completed a series of computer-delivered asthma education modules and received text messages between sessions with facts about asthma. Multiple linear regression was conducted. Results found that our model was significant F (4, 113) =7.75, p<.001, accounting for 21% of the variance. Higher asthma related anxiety was associated with poorer medication adherence (β = .252, p<.01). Lower perceived importance of taking controller medication was associated with poorer adherence (β = -.269, p<.01). Self-efficacy and number of ED visits was not found to be significant. Results affirm that higher asthma-related anxiety and lower perceived asthma importance are associated with lower medication adherence. It is critical to understand factors associated with lower medication adherence in this population. Results suggest that psychological functioning and perceived importance of taking medications for asthma should be targeted during interventions.
Presenter: Ali Fakih
Institution: Wayne State University
Type: Poster
Subject: Nursing & Public Health
Status: Approved
