Higher deficits in personality functioning, higher levels of childhood trauma, and male gender were significantly associated with self-reported non-adherence in cardiovascular disease patients.
Cross-Sectional (n=194)
No
Are personality functioning and childhood trauma associated with non-adherence in cardiovascular disease patients?
In cardiovascular disease patients, deficits in personality functioning and childhood trauma are significantly associated with non-adherence, suggesting that basic psychological impairments may be more important than symptoms of depression or anxiety for treatment compliance.
Effect estimate: Adjusted R2 0.149
p-value: p=<0.01
Objective Although treatment adherence and lifestyle changes significantly improve the prognosis of cardiovascular disease, many patients do not comply with clinician recommendations. Personality functioning appears to be of importance and is hypothesized to be superior to symptom-based measures in explaining individual differences in non-adherence. Methods 194 cardiology inpatients (mean age = 70.6 years, 60% male) were assessed using self-report measures in a cross-sectional design. Patients were assessed using the short version of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS) to measure personality functioning, as well as the Childhood Trauma Screener (CTS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for symptoms of depression, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7). To assess non-adherence we introduced a brief, novel scale. Results Non-adherence correlated significant with personality functioning ( r = 0.325), childhood trauma ( r = 0.204) and depressiveness ( r = 0.225). In a stepwise multiple regression analysis with socio-demographic variables inputted into the model, higher deficits in personality functioning, higher levels of childhood trauma, and male gender were associated with non-adherence (adjusted R 2 = 0.149, F (3,190) = 12.225, p 0.01). Level of depressive symptoms, anxiety, age, education, and income showed no significant additional predictive value and were excluded from the model. Conclusion In cardiovascular disease, personality functioning, childhood trauma and male gender are associated with non-adherence and appear to be more important than symptom reports of depression and anxiety. This highlights the relevance of basic impairments in intra- and interpersonal functioning in chronic disease, where the patient’s adherence is central.
Haller et al. (Thu,) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular disease (n=194). Higher deficits in personality functioning, higher levels of childhood trauma, and male gender were significantly associated with self-reported non-adherence in cardiovascular disease patients.