Culturally responsive interventions to enhance immunosuppressive medication adherence in older African American kidney transplant recipients

Abstract

Context: Immunosuppressive medication nonadherence is variable among older kidney transplant recipients and is a problem in African American recipients despite the severe consequences of this behavior. Many factors place older African American recipients at risk for medication nonadherence.

Objective: To provide an overview of interventions to enhance immunosuppressive medication adherence in older African American kidney transplant recipients using a culturally responsive model. Culturally sensitive, innovative, and transformation interventions are discussed. Situations when each intervention would be most and least appropriate are described.

Conclusion: Moving culturally appropriate interventions forward into practice and testing their effectiveness in improving adherence outcomes in vulnerable, older African American kidney transplant recipients is a worthy practice and research goal for transplant nursing.