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Relational Attributes Associated with Treatment Adherence: A Scoping Review
Yi Jiao Angelina Tian1, Emma Herger1, Aoife Milford1
1Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Strong provider-patient relationships (PPRs) are vital for treatment adherence. Key factors include communication, shared decision-making, and trust, though standardized measurements are lacking for future research.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Patient Adherence Studies
- Communication in Healthcare
Background:
- Treatment adherence is crucial for improving health outcomes, reducing mortality, and lowering healthcare costs.
- Provider-patient relationships (PPRs) are recognized for their positive impact on patient adherence.
- Factors influencing adherence are complex and have been a long-standing concern in health management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore specific relational attributes within PPRs that directly affect treatment adherence.
- To identify gaps in the existing literature regarding PPRs and their impact on adherence.
- To synthesize findings from empirical studies on the link between PPR attributes and adherence.
Main Methods:
- Scoping review of peer-reviewed articles published between January 1, 2015, and January 7, 2025.
- Searches conducted in CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed databases.
- Inclusion of qualitative, quantitative, RCTs, and other empirical study designs reporting on PPR attributes linked to adherence.
Main Results:
- Six critical relational aspects of PPRs influencing adherence were identified across 48 studies.
- Communication (content, style, frequency) emerged as the most significant factor.
- Other key factors include shared decision-making, trust, provider empathy, continuity of care, and aligned perspectives.
Conclusions:
- Provider-patient relationships significantly influence treatment adherence through various relational attributes.
- A major research gap exists due to a lack of standardized definitions and measurements for these attributes.
- Further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and practical applications for enhancing adherence through relational care, considering societal shifts like digitalization and patient-centeredness.
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