"Adherence" and the negotiated approach to patienthood

A study was conducted on adherence to treatment referrals made in the psychiatry walk-in clinic of a general hospital. One hundred thirty patients were administered the patient request form, a general information questionnaire, and a postinterview evaluation questionnaire. Information on adherence was obtained from the hospital records. Forty-one percent of the patients adhered to the treatment referral. Adherence was significantly related to negotiation, as predicted. Another significant predictor of adherence was the patient's getting the plan he wanted. Adherence was not found to be related to demographic measures or scores on the patient request form. The index of negotiation also correlated significantly with the patient's evaluation of the interview, replicating previous findings. The relationship of adherence and negotiation is discussed.