Family Support is Associated with Fewer Adherence Barriers and Greater Intent to Adhere to Oral Medications in Pediatric IBD

Medication nonadherence is common among adolescents, and family support can enhance adherence. In a sample of youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we aimed to describe barriers to oral medication adherence and intent to adhere. Additionally, we examined the role of family support in influencing adherence barriers and intent to adhere, and assessed if age moderated these relationships. A secondary analysis of baseline data from an adherence-promotion intervention trial was conducted. Youth reported perceptions of family support, adherence barriers, and intent to adhere via validated measures. Among youth (N = 76, ages 11–18), age moderated the impact of family support on total adherence barriers, disease/regimen barriers, social support/self-efficacy barriers, and intent to adhere. At higher levels of family support, younger (Mage = 12.93 years) and mid-age (Mage = 14.68 years) youth reported fewer barriers to adherence and greater intent to adhere. No main effect of family support or evidence of age moderation was found for denial/distrust or peer influences barrier domains. Younger and mid-aged adolescents benefitted from family support in the context of IBD management. Future research should examine whether interventions to enhance family support may enhance youth adherence. Given prior findings highlighting the success of nurse-led interventions in promoting adherence in patients with IBD, present findings suggest additional intervention points for nurses working with pediatric IBD populations. •Family support is associated with endorsement of fewer barriers to oral medication adherence across multiple domains.•Family support is also associated with greater intent to adhere to oral medications.•Younger and mid aged adolescents benefitted from family support to a greater extent than older adolescents.