Validation of an Interaction Model of Health Behavior Among Adults With Hypertension

The purpose of this study was to test the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior among adults with hypertension. The predictive associations among health literacy, quality of the provider interaction, perceived communication skills, and behavioral activation on blood pressure control were examined. Participants were 109 adults with hypertension recruited from community settings. A path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was conducted in Analysis of Moment Structures for Windows (AMOS). The model fit to these data was excellent (χ(2) = 1.1, p = .76, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 1.1, comparative fit index [CFI] = 1.0, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .00, standardized root mean residual [SRMR] = .03). As hypothesized, health literacy, quality of the provider interaction, and perceived communication skills directly affected behavioral action. The quality of the provider interaction, perceived communication skills, and behavioral activation had direct effects on systolic blood pressure control. The study results support health literacy screening and communication skill building, and improving the quality of provider interactions to enhance blood pressure control among adults with hypertension.