| This study focused on examining the relation between coping styles, physician partnership and treatment adherence in adult patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Previous research has shown that only a small proportion of the variance in adherence is explained by medical, psychological and social aspects of this uncertain and complex life-long disease. The qualities of the patient-physician partnership along with psychological behaviors that contribute to treatment adherence were explored using the Health Belief Model as the theoretical framework for the study. Two Cystic Fibrosis Centers participated in the study (N=173). It was proposed that health insurance status, gender, race/ethnicity, personal committed relationship status, age at diagnosis, FEV1 status, perceived barriers to self-care, problem-focused coping style, emotion-focused coping style, and physician partnership would be significantly related to treatment adherence. Regression analysis revealed a significant relation only between problem-focused coping, physician partnership and treatment adherence. When multiple regression was conducted with the subcomponents of treatment adherence (nutrition, exercise, chest physiotherapy, medication, and daily management) only exercise was found to not have a significant relation to either problem-focused coping or physician relationship. Study results suggest that having a positive physician partnership and use of a problem-focused coping may have served as an important component in relation to increased treatment adherence. Additional data analysis revealed that having depression was significantly related to less use of problem-focused coping, less satisfaction with the patient-physician relationship and lower treatment adherence. Further research is needed to define and evaluate the quality of an active, problem-focused patient and physician partnership in relation to treatment adherence. |
