L. Mcdonald-miszczak et al., Self-reported medication adherence and health status in late adulthood: The role of beliefs, EXP AGING R, 26(3), 2000, pp. 189-207
In this study, we explore the role of subjective beliefs in determining sel
f-reports of medication adherence and health status in 90 older adults (M a
ge = 71.7 years, SD = 7.44). Self-reported adherence was predicted by perso
nal health locus of control beliefs, but not by medical factors nor beliefs
regarding one's own health care professionals. Self-reported health was pr
edicted by medical factors, perceptions of one's health care professional,
and health locus of control. These results suggest that self-reported adher
ence is primarily a belief-laden construct whereas self-reported ted health
consists of both an objective assessment of health and a subjective belief
-laden component. Exploratory analyses conducted on younger-old and older-o
ld age groups indicated that medical factors may be less important to older
-old adults' perceived health status than the younger-old adults.