Effect of Physician-Patient Relationship and Adherence in Hypertension Patients

Indianapolis, IN

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the physician-patient relationship with regards to adherence to hypertension medication. Previous studies have shown that the more positive a physician-patient relationship is, the greater adherence towards medication and treatment options is made by the patient. It is hypothesized that if the patient is comfortable and trusts their physician, the patient will adhere better than a patient who is not comfortable or does not trust their physician. It is also hypothesized that patients with a female physician will have increased levels of trust and adherence to hypertension medication. Participants consisted of both males and females, who were currently on hypertension medication or had been on medication in the past. The subjects were aged 40-85 years old and over 75 subjects participated. Participants answered twenty-three questions regarding personal information, intrapersonal interactions and duration with physician, and questions related to their medication, such as side effects and usage. Data collection is ongoing and analysis of all collected data will be presented.