Effects of beliefs, trust and satisfaction on medication compliance among hypertensive patients

Hypertension is a silent killer that has become a chronic medical condition confronting the world. Although the evidence recognizes the effectiveness of hypertension-lowering medications, they will not work unless patients adhere to the protocol. Research has found a low medication compliance rate among hypertensive patients, which leads to the lack of sufficient hypertension control and adverse consequences. Medication compliance requires ongoing efforts at an individual level. Based on the Health Belief Model, a set of individual beliefs including self-efficacy, perceived severity, perceived benefit, perceived barrier, perceived susceptibility, and cues to action, is predicted to have an impact on medication compliance. Importantly, we propose that the interrelationship between healthcare providers and patients such as trust and satisfaction have positive influence on medication compliance. While researchers have studied the effects of beliefs, trusts, and satisfaction on medication compliance, these constructs have never been examined simultaneously in one study. This research proposes a theoretical model that positions beliefs, trusts, and satisfaction as antecedents of medication compliance. We also propose trust as an antecedent to medication compliance is mediated by satisfaction. We expect that this theoretical model can shed clearer light on the literature of medication compliance. Moreover, the empirical results of this model might provide some implications on the need for a trusting and satisfied relationship between the healthcare providers and patients.