title: The Physician-Patient Working Alliance in Hemodialysis Treatment.
abstract: Over the past 20 years, the role of psychological and social factors, including the physician-patient working alliance, have emerged as integral components of medical care for patients with a myriad of health conditions. The current study examines a model comprised of psychological-interpersonal factors and the extent to which it explains patient satisfaction with and adherence to hemodialysis treatment. One hundred and seven adults with end-stage renal disease who were receiving regular outpatient hemodialysis participated in the study. Path analyses show that the physician-patient working alliance indirectly predicts patient adherence through patient satisfaction and patients' outcome expectations. The working alliance directly predicts patients' quality of life. It is concluded that consistent with previous research, the physician-patient working alliance is a significant factor in predicting key patient behaviors in medical care.
authors.affiliation: a Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University.
authors.forename: Jairo N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.affiliation: b Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Nassau University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.affiliation: a Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University.
authors.forename: Mariela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: b Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Nassau University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Pichet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iampornpipopchai
authors.affiliation: b Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Nassau University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Shanza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mujeeb
authors.affiliation: b Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Nassau University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Carroll R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: a Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University.
authors.forename: Arielle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toporovsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: adherence; hemodialysis; physician-patient working alliance; satisfaction