At the intersection of pharmacy practice and community health, lies a student research team led by Yujin Kim, PharmD, PhD, an assistant professor at PCOM Georgia specializing in transdermal and dermal drug delivery. Dr Kim and her team are pioneering new research to assess and improve medication adherence among children with special needs.
Working as a pharmacist, Kim saw firsthand the need for more research into medical therapy management (MTM) for children with special needs.
“I got to know a lot of parents in our community who were having challenges with giving medication to their children and because MTM has shown to be effective for elderly patients, I thought ‘why is this not the case with children with special needs?’” said Kim.
Her research team, which includes eight dedicated students from the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs, is first conducting a comprehensive literature review and analyzing 12 years of national health data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The team is developing a 30-minute survey tailored to local families by initially targeting 40 households to evaluate current adherence rates and identify barriers faced by parents and caregivers.
The project focuses on identifying disparities in medication adherence across socioeconomic and ethnic groups, particularly among children who are prescribed multiple medications for three months or longer. Since adherence directly impacts health outcomes, such as reducing hospital visits and improving quality of life, the team aims to provide a case for a pediatric-specific MTM program akin to those used for elderly medicaid populations. Currently, regulations do not mandate such services for children, especially those under 18, highlighting a significant area for improvement in healthcare policy.
A key aspect of the research is understanding how age influences adherence. Preliminary data from NHIS indicates higher adherence rates among younger children (ages 5-12), while adolescents (ages 12-17) tend to have lower compliance. The team aims to develop helpful strategies to foster greater autonomy among teenagers with their treatment plans.
“If we can improve adherence in children, especially those with chronic conditions like asthma, ADHD, or diabetes, we can make a profound difference in their long-term health," said Kim.
Funded by the PCOM Community Health Faculty Research Fellowship for full-time faculty, this initiative is establishing partnerships with local pediatric healthcare centers to potentially implement the new approaches, including the Atlanta Wheat Mission, Inc., a non-profit serving disabled young adults.
“In the big picture, as a healthcare provider, whether you are a pharmacist or a doctor, you want the health outcomes to be improved in all directions, and medication adherence is such an important measure of health outcomes. Everyone should have resources if they need them,” said Kim.
Kim's research team is also serving as an educational platform for students interested in epidemiology, community health and pharmacy practice. The team plans to present their findings at PCOM Georgia's annual Research Day on April 17.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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