Self-reported medication adherence and health status in late adulthood: the role of beliefs.
In this study, we explore the role of subjective beliefs in determining self-reports of medication adherence and health status in 90 older adults (M age = 71.7 years, SD = 7.44). Self-reported adherence was predicted by personal health locus of control beliefs, but not by medical factors nor beliefs regarding one's own health care professionals. Self-reported health was predicted by medical factors, perceptions of one's health care professional, and health locus of control. These results suggest that self-reported adherence is primarily a belief-laden construct whereas self-reported health consists of both an objective assessment of health and a subjective belief-laden component. Exploratory analyses conducted on younger-old and older-old age groups indicated that medical factors may be less important to older-old adults' perceived health status than the younger-old adults.
Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham 98225, USA.
L
L
McDonald-Miszczak
S A
SA
Maki
O N
ON
Gould
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012649:Self Concept