Following Physician’s Advice in Late Life: The Roles of Health Beliefs and Health Status

Patient preference and adherence · 2 authors, 1 centre

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TL;DR

A cross-sectional study of 684 older adults found that beliefs in external control by health professionals were associated with higher adherence to physician recommendations, while beliefs in internal control and cognitive impairment were associated with lower adherence.

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This cross-sectional survey study analyzed data from 684 community-dwelling older adults (average age 80.70 years) to examine associations between health-related locus of control beliefs, health status, and adherence to physician recommendations. Functional limitations, multimorbidity, and self-image of health were not significantly associated.

STUDY TYPE

cross-sectional

SPECIALTY

geriatrics

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10807281

Following Physician’s Advice in Late Life: The Roles of Health Beliefs and Health Status

Patient preference and adherence

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Objective This study aims to explore the influence of health-related locus of control beliefs such as belief in the role of health professionals in influencing patient health, cognitive functioning, and multimorbidity on adherence to physician’s recommendations among older adults. Methods A cross-sectional study involving older adults (N=684, age range = 71–100 years) living in Clearwater, Florida, reported their adherence to physician’s recommendations, cognitive functioning, physical health, and health-related locus of control beliefs. Ordered Logistic regression was used. Results Older adults who believed that health professionals influence health and a person is likely to recover from illness because other people take good care of him/her had higher adherence to physician’s recommendations. Older adults who believed that their own action affects their health had lower odds of reporting adherence by 27%. Additionally, those with cognitive impairment had lower odds of reporting adherence by 38%. Functional limitations, multimorbidity, and self-image of health were not associated with adherence. Conclusion This is one of the first studies to consider the influence of locus of control beliefs on adherence of physician’s recommendations among community dwelling older adults. With the exception of one item “My good health is largely a matter of good fortune”, generally individuals with external locus of control had higher adherence. Our findings also underscore the policy and clinical significance of different health-related beliefs held by older adults. Keywords: health behaviors, adherence, health beliefs, older adults, ordered logistic regression

CITATION EXPORT

Poshan Dahal, Eva Kahana. Following Physician’s Advice in Late Life: The Roles of Health Beliefs and Health Status. Patient preference and adherence. (2024). https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S409023

AUTHORS

2 · 1 CENTRES

Poshan Dahal, Eva Kahana

1Department of Sociology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA