Linking Research and Practice in Patient Education for Hypertension

Data from a longitudinal study of 432 hypertensive patients under the care of private practitioners are used to answer two questions: How do patients react to educational interventions, and how are their responses related to changes in their adherence behaviors? The four educational interventions, introduced sequentially and tested in a factorial design, were written messages, nurse's phone call, self-monitoring and social support. Patients' reactions to the interventions were assessed, using data from questions asked at post-intervention interviews and information recorded during the interventions. Cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral data are examined. Findings indicate that respondents were cognizant of the interventions and viewed them positively; also, some predictions about intervention features were supported. However, actions which respondents attributed to the interventions were not found to be related to increased adherence, according to the test used in this study.