HEALTH BELIEFS OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN A FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (5) , 877-883
Abstract
The hypertensive patient population in a university family medicine practice was surveyed to determine health beliefs, patient perceptions of the severity of their condition, stated levels of compliance to drug regimens, frequency of drug side effects and frequency of physician discussions of drug side effects and diet. Health beliefs were associated with diastolic hypertension and increase in medication dosage over 4 mo. Patient education efforts by the family physician on specific attitudes, beliefs and treatment issues which are most appropriate for the hypertensive patient are emphasized. The physician may improve management of hypertensive patients by anticipating prevalent myths and misconceptions which patients have concerning hypertension; alleviating patient anxiety by stressing that control of blood pressure decreases the likelihood of complications; effectively communicating to each patient the current status of the condition at each visit; and initiating discussion of side effects through direct questioning for those effects most frequently seen.

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