Background: Oral therapeutic options for plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are receiving attention in clinical research. The MEK inhibitor (MEKi) Selumetinib is FDA-approved in children ages 2+ years with inoperable PNs, and shows activity in adults. Prolonged therapy with selumetinib is necessary to maintain tumor reduction. Therefore, investigating long-term adherence is vital to understand patterns of adherence over time and its impact on clinical outcomes. Mixed methods research offers rich information about adherence that can inform future intervention trials, and can assist practitioners in addressing medication adherence concerns. Methods: This mixed-method pilot study is the first examination of the feasibility of a technology-based adherence assessment method, the medication events monitoring system (MEMS^TM), among individuals with NF1-PN. Adherence was monitored in a small sample of patients (N = 12; mean age = 34.36 years; 58% male) with NF1 and PN across eighteen 28-day treatment cycles. Qualitative data were obtained from individual interviews using inductive and deductive techniques for thematic analysis. Results: The predetermined criterion was met, suggesting that using MEMS^TM is feasible despite some challenges with the caps. Depression and overall stress were significantly related to reduced adherence, although these results should be considered hypothesis-generating. Barriers to medication adherence included forgetting and the timing of doses related to eating. Facilitators included consistency, reminders, and social support. Conclusions: This study highlights patient characteristics that may be related to increased risk for nonadherence, as well as challenges with electronic pill caps that should be considered in future clinical trials for NF1-related PN. Results can inform future adherence interventions for adults with NF1 and PNs. Future research with larger samples is needed to fully explore factors related to long-term medication adherence among individuals with NF1.

Multimorbidity, or the presence of two or more co-occurring chronic medical conditions, is extremely prevalent within the United States (US), with disproportionately high incidence rates in individuals with minoritized identities. Sleep disturbances are an empirically supported risk factor contributing to disease status and maintenance throughout the lifespan. Given this, this study examines the relationship between disturbed sleep and multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) in adults using cross-sectional data from (n = 1013) participants enrolled in the Survey of Midlife Development in the US Study (MIDUS-2). Participants within this study were predominantly female (54.9%), white (93.2%), middle-aged (M_AGE = 58 years old), and experienced multimorbidity (56.6%) by having two or more (M_CHRON = 2.25) chronic health conditions in the past year. A negative binomial regression indicated that sleep disturbances significantly predict the number of chronic health conditions, with sleep-disturbed individuals reporting a 41% increase in reported health conditions (IRR = 1.407, p < 0.001). Findings suggest that disturbed sleep is significantly related to disease presence in aging populations and should be addressed through early intervention to mitigate negative health consequences.