Medication Adherence Skills Training for African-American Breast Cancer Survivors: The Effects on Health Literacy, Medication Adherence, and Self-Efficacy

There are gaps in research regarding medication adherence, self-efficacy in proper medication adherence, and health literacy among breast cancer survivors. This pilot randomized controlled study was conducted to provide information addressing health literacy with respect to medication adherence and self-efficacy in African American breast cancer survivors. The study sample consisted of an intervention group (n = 24) of medication adherence skills training (MST) and a control group (n = 24), with a total sample population of 48 participants. The MST workshop was a collaborative intervention between pharmacy and social work and was designed to address issues that may be encountered while taking multiple medications for various acute and chronic conditions, increase participant confidence in accessing necessary resources for improved medication usage, and enhance personal self-efficacy regarding health care. A statistically significant relationship was detected between initial health literacy and medication adherence, as well as initial health literacy and self-efficacy. These findings indicated that individuals with higher health literacy were more likely to have higher levels of self-efficacy and were more likely to adhere to medication instructions. Analysis of the intervention and treatment groups did not show a statistically significant effect on health literacy, medication adherence, or self-efficacy from pre-test to post-test.