Medication adherence in patients with hypertension: Does satisfaction with doctor-patient relationship work?

BACKGROUND: It is assumed that doctor-patient relationship plays an effective role in patients’ satisfaction, medication adherence, and health outcomes since exploring different aspects of this relationship, such as addressing medication adherence, has rarely been investigated. Therefore, the main aim of the present study was to assess the impact of patients’ satisfaction derived from communicating with doctors on medication adherence in hypertensive patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on three hundred patients with hypertension, using multistage sampling technique in health care centers in Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected by two questionnaires comprised (1) patients’ satisfaction derived from the relationship with doctors and (2) medication adherence named “Morisky Medication Adherence Scale” with 8 items. Multivariate logistic regression model was applied to test the odds ratio (OR) of patients’ satisfaction resulting from the relationship with physicians in numerous aspects in two groups: appropriate and inappropriate medication adherence. RESULTS: A lower level of satisfaction derived from building the relationship (confidence interval [CI] =0.95, 0.06–0.71 and OR = 0.20) and empathy subscales (CI = 0.95, 13–0.80 and OR = 0.33) was associated with nonadherence to treatment after controlling the physicians’ gender and patients’ age, gender, education, and duration of disease. CONCLUSION: Patients’ satisfaction resulting from building the relationship and empathy with physicians appeared to be associated with medication adherence among hypertensive patients.