Parent perceptions of problems experienced by their children in complying with treatments for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Parents of children with chronic diseases, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), are responsible for insuring that their children comply with medical regimens. Assessing the perceptions parents have of problems their children experience in complying with treatment would be useful in advising them of how to help their children. In this study, a questionnaire assessing the frequency and type of problems children experienced in complying with treatments of JRA was completed by 37 parents. The parents reported more problems with range of motion exercises and splint wearing than with medications. The most common negative reactions exhibited by the children included complaining, crying, forgetting to do what was prescribed, and noncompliance. Additionally, nearly 50% of the parents relied on their child's report or were vague about how they assessed compliance. Suggestions for advising parents about how they can assess and improve compliance are offered in this report.