Health Beliefs in Compliant and Noncompliant Hypertensive Clients

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in the health beliefs of hypertensive clients who comply with prescribed therapy and those who do not. Specific health beliefs under consideration were resusceptibility, severity, and benefits of complying with the therapeutic regimen. The Health Belief Model (HBM) served as the basis for the study's theoretical framework. A sample of 38 hypertensive clients, 20 compliant and 18 noncompliant, were interviewed. Compliance status was determined through a combination of therapeutic outcome, as evidenced by diastolic blood pressure, and client self-report. The sample's health beliefs were measured by the Health Beliefs Questionnaire. The mean scores of the two groups were compared for each of the three health beliefs, using two-tailed t tests. No significant differences were found (p = .05), suggesting that health beliefs may not be useful in distinguishing between compliant and noncompliant hypertensive clients. Continued research to identify sociobehavioral variables that affect compliance is recommended.