Association between Asthma Medication Adherence and Patient-Provider Collaboration

Abstract

Asthma is a significant pediatric public health concern, with 8.3% of children in the U.S. diagnosed with asthma. Pediatric asthma morbidity is consistently linked to medication non-adherence. Medication adherence has been shown to be influenced by patient-provider interactions. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between medication adherence, using both objective and subjective reports, to patient-provider collaboration in adolescents with poorly controlled asthma. Thirty adolescents ages 12 to 15 were interviewed along with their caregivers using the Family Asthma Management System Scale (FAMSS). Adherence data were collected via pharmacy refill reports and scores on the FAMSS adherence rating subscale. Patient-provider collaboration was assessed using the corresponding subscale from the FAMSS interview. Pearson correlations were conducted to examine the relationships between both measures of adherence and patient-provider collaboration. There was no significant association between adherence measured with pharmacy refills and patient-provider collaboration (r = .27, p = .176). A significant correlation was found between medication adherence, as measured by the FAMSS ratings, and patient-provider collaboration (r = .53, p = .003). These findings suggest that more collaborative patient-provider relationships may be linked to higher medication adherence among adolescents with poorly controlled asthma.