PREDICTORS OF LONG-TERM COMPLIANCE IN ATTENDING A WORKSITE HYPERTENSION PROGRAM

Variables such as patient's anxiety, knowledge, number of medication c hanges, medication-induced side-effects and programme-derived benefits and conveniences have been reported or theorised to be important dete rminants of patient's attendance at worksite hypertension programmes. This study investigates whether these variables have predictive value in differentiating compliers from noncompliers attending a union-spons ored worksite hypertension programme for at least five years. Scores w ere created from a questionnaire distributed to 243 patients with a re sponse rate of 98%. Compliance was defined as missing less-than-or-equ al-to 25% of scheduled clinic appointments. By discriminant statistica l analysis scores for patient's anxiety, knowledge, number of medicati on changes, medication side-effects, perceived benefits and convenienc es failed to show any predictive value for patient's compliance with a ppointment keeping.