title: Factors associated with gender differences in medication adherence: a longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine gender differences in the medication adherence of patients with hypertension by applying a longitudinal follow-up.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Patient views of illness affect their adherence to therapeutic regimens. However, few studies have explored these issues by using a longitudinal design or from a gender perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a longitudinal, correlational design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A purposive sampling of 118 patients were recruited from cardiovascular clinics of a teaching hospital in Central Taiwan in 2007-2009. Data were collected using the Chinese Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised and the Medication Adherence Inventory at three time points: at the first clinic visit, 6 and 12 months after the initial survey. Generalized estimating equations were calculated using the STATA software for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed that male patients adhere more effectively to medications than female patients do. The interaction between systolic blood pressure and gender emerged as a significant predictor of adherence. Factors associated with adherence in male patients included less causal attribution to culture, more attribution to risk factors, fewer symptoms and uncertain symptoms related to high blood pressure, lower scores for timeline-cyclical and higher scores for illness consequences and coherence. Medication adherence for female patients was significantly related to more causal attribution to balance and risk factors, less personal control and enhanced illness coherence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors associated with adherence to antihypertensive medication were relatively gender-specific. Awareness of the differences is crucial for health professionals to provide appropriate advice for patients to cope effectively with their health threat.
authors: Department of Nursing, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan.
authors: Shiah-Lian
authors: SL
authors: Chen
authors: Cardiovascular Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Wen-Lieng
authors: WL
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Nursing, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Tienli
authors: T
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Nursing, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: I-Chen
authors: IC
authors: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: blood pressure control; follow-up studies; gender; hypertension; illness perception; medication adherence; nurses; nursing; questionnaires; symptom