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Age, medical advice about cardiac risk reduction, and patient compliance
Insights
Older heart patients receive less risk reduction advice from physicians, yet their compliance remains high. This suggests older adults are underserved in cardiac health promotion despite adherence potential.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Health Promotion
Background:
- Heart disease is a significant health issue for the elderly.
- Risk reduction practices can mitigate heart disease impact.
- Physicians have a key role in promoting heart health in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate physician advice and patient compliance regarding cardiac risk reduction.
- To examine age-related differences in advice and adherence.
- To identify barriers to risk reduction for older cardiac patients.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of myocardial infarction patients (aged 60+ and 45-59).
- Interviews conducted six weeks post-discharge.
- Analysis of physician advice and patient compliance data.
Main Results:
- Significant age differences observed in cardiac risk reduction advice provided by physicians.
- No age-related differences found in patient compliance with medical advice.
- Pre- and post-infarction cardiac health did not influence compliance.
Conclusions:
- Older cardiac patients are less likely to receive risk reduction advice.
- This denial of opportunity occurs despite evidence of good adherence in older patients.
- Interventions targeting both physicians and patients are needed to improve cardiac risk reduction for the elderly.
Abstract:
This study investigated the physician's role in proffering appropriate medical advice to aged patients and the patient's role in complying with that advice. Heart disease, which takes a major health toll among the aged but is amenable to risk reduction practices, exemplifies a condition that offers physicians the opportunity to play an important health promotion role. The advice given by physicians to 246 heart patients and their compliance with the advice is the subject of this article. Data were obtained from a longitudinal study of recovering myocardial infarction patients aged 60 and over (n = 204), and a comparison group of patients aged 45-59 (n = 42). The patient cohorts were similar in health and demographic factors. Findings from interviews conducted six weeks after hospital discharge indicated major age differences in cardiac risk reduction advice given by physicians, but no age effects of patient compliance with the medical advice. Neither preinfarction nor postinfarction cardiac health were factors in compliance. Findings suggest that older patients are systematically denied the opportunity for lessening risk of future heart problems by adopting behavioral changes, despite a lack of evidence that aged heart patients will not adhere to medical advice to engage in these changes. Suggestions are given for interventive efforts directed at both physicians and patients.