Year of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Communication Studies

Department or School/College

Communication Studies

Committee Chair

Dr. Stephen Yoshimura

Commitee Members

Dr. Joel Iverson, Dr. Jan VanRiper

Keywords

health communication, uncertainty, information seeking, adherence, compliance

Subject Categories

Health Communication

Abstract

This study examined the main predictors of adherence to a health regimen by patients clinically diagnosed with a heart condition. The theory of motivated information management was used to illuminate salient variables including uncertainty, emotion(s), outcome expectancies, and efficacy assessments. A total of 76 participants completed an online survey, asking about variables related to the theory of motivated information management, adherence, and quality of communication between patient and physician. All together, 90.8% of patients reported properly adhering to their health regimen. The results further indicated that participants had overall low levels of uncertainty regarding their health regimen, and reported positive emotions as a result. Additionally, outcome expectancies and efficacy assessments had a significant effect on the decision to seek information from their physician, which had a significant effect on self-reported rates of adherence. Finally, the quality of communication was found to significantly affect adherence to a given health regimen. These results shed light on the variables that health providers must take into account in order to improve adherence and patient outcomes.

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© Copyright 2017 Ryan Thiel