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Appointment-keeping behavior is not related to medication adherence in hypertensive African Americans

Gbenga Ogedegbe1, Antoinette Schoenthaler, Senaida Fernandez

  • 1Behavioral Cardiovascular Health & Hypertension Program, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. goo1@columbia.edu

Journal of General Internal Medicine
|June 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Appointment-keeping behavior did not correlate with medication adherence or blood pressure in hypertensive African Americans. Therefore, it cannot serve as a reliable indicator for medication adherence in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Health Disparities

Background:

  • Hypertension management in African Americans requires understanding factors influencing treatment adherence.
  • Medication adherence (ADH) and appointment-keeping are crucial for managing blood pressure (BP).
  • The relationship between these factors needs clarification in community-based settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between appointment-keeping behavior, medication adherence (ADH), and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive African Americans.
  • To determine if appointment attendance can predict medication adherence or control of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP).

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 153 hypertensive African Americans was studied over 12 months.
  • Medication adherence was measured using a self-report questionnaire.
  • Appointment attendance was logged, and BP was extracted from electronic medical records.

Main Results:

  • No significant relationship was found between appointment attendance and medication adherence (ADH).
  • Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) levels were not significantly associated with appointment-keeping behavior.
  • Adjusted nonadherence rates and mean BP were similar across different appointment attendance categories.

Conclusions:

  • Appointment-keeping behavior is not a reliable proxy for medication adherence in hypertensive African Americans.
  • Clinical practices should not rely on appointment attendance to infer medication adherence in this patient group.
  • Further research may explore other behavioral or social determinants of adherence.
Abstract

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