Adherence to oral medications has been repeatedly shown to fall below the recommended 80% to 95% in pediatric and adult cancer populations. The purpose of this review is to report the state of the science about oral medication adherence during the acute phase of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation across the lifespan. An exhaustive search of the literature yielded 5 records for inclusion in the review. Two studies examined adherence in pediatrics, 2 in adults, and 1 included both pediatric and adult patients. Three studies were descriptive and 2 were interventional in design. The rate of adherence to oral medications ranged from 33% to 94.7%. Adherence decreased over time in all studies except in 1 pharmacist-led intervention study. Different methods were used to measure adherence, but most relied on self-report. Further research is needed in medication adherence in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to better understand facilitators, barriers, and relationships to health outcomes.

No abstract

The stress and uncertainty created by a child's cancer diagnosis and treatment can affect parent and child functioning. Health technology provides a potential avenue for intervention delivery. Interviews were conducted with parents of children diagnosed with cancer to discover their needs following diagnosis and design a relevant mobile application. Treatment experience was the overarching theme. Subthemes included the emotional response, use of information, and environmental factors. Technology was used primarily to seek out information and communicate with others. Health technologies are gaining popularity and have the potential to be beneficial for patients and families throughout the treatment experience.