MEDICATION MANAGEMENT ISSUES FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH ASTHMA

Issues related to medication use by teens with asthma were studied. Ad olescents 13-17 years old who were receiving drug therapy for asthma w ere recruited to participate in focus groups. Facilitators asked open- ended questions, and the discussion was recorded and coded for content . Participants were asked to complete questionnaires covering attitude s and beliefs, family issues, and communication with physicians and ph armacists. Of 28 teens participating in the focus groups, 26 returned completed questionnaires. The teens considered themselves compliant wi th medication therapy. They said they talked more to physicians than t o pharmacists and received more oral and written information from the physicians. Focus group responses indicated that teens wanted complete responsibility for taking their medications and experienced conflict with adults-parents, teachers, school nurses, and physicians-about med ication use. The teens were concerned about adverse effects and the co st of medications and wanted more information about asthma and its tre atment. The teens did not disobey their parents or physicians by refus ing to take their medications, and peers did not have a negative influ ence on the teens' asthma management. The primary medication issue for this group of adolescents was managing their medication to control th eir asthma in spite of inappropriate rules or behavior by adults.