Relationship Between Family Caregiver Burden and Medication Adherence in Patients with Mechanical Valve Replacement: A Structural Equation Model.

Abstract

Oral anticoagulant is a necessary long-term treatment after mechanical valve replacement (MVR), and medication adherence has a great impact on patients with MVR. Although family caregiver burden is negatively correlated with medication adherence, little is known about the underlying mechanism. To test whether family caregiver burden influences medication adherence through post-traumatic growth or medication literacy in patients with MVR. A total of 206 patients after MVR were included in this cross-sectional study from July 2021 to December 2021. Data regarding medication adherence, family caregiver burden, post-traumatic growth, and medication literacy were collected by questionnaires. Data were analyzed through SPSS, and pathway analysis was conducted by using AMOS, based on the bootstrapping method. Post-traumatic growth was positively associated with medication adherence (r = 0.284, P < 0.05). Post-traumatic growth independently mediated the association of family caregiver burden on medication adherence [β = 0.32, 95% confidence intervals: (-0.016, -0.008)]. The mediated effect value for post-traumatic growth was 0.07, accounting for 24.14% of the total effect. The model's fit indices were adequate. The mediating effect of post-traumatic growth between family caregiver burden and medication adherence existed in patients with MVR. Interventions considering post-traumatic growth may be useful to increase medication adherence and improve patient rehabilitation.