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. 2008 Jan-Feb;6(1):6-13.
doi: 10.1370/afm.757.

Patients' commitment to their primary physician and why it matters

Leonard L Berry  1 , Janet Turner Parish, Ramkumar Janakiraman, Lee Ogburn-Russell, Glen R Couchman, William L Rayburn, Jedidiah Grisel
Affiliations

Patients' commitment to their primary physician and why it matters

Leonard L Berry et al. Ann Fam Med. 2008 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: The patient-physician relationship is the cornerstone of health care service delivery. The objectives of this study were to assess the contribution of relationship commitment along with trust to patient-physician relationships and to evaluate the association of commitment and trust with adherence to medical advice and healthy eating behaviors.

Methods: To test the proposed model, we developed a questionnaire that included both existing scales and a scale constructed specifically for the study; the questions addressed trust, commitment, adherence to physicians' medical recommendations, and healthy eating behavior. The questionnaire was given to adult patients in the waiting rooms of 4 large clinics in central Texas.

Results: A total of 1,008 patients returned questionnaires; 869 patients' questionnaires were complete and used in the analysis. A 3-stage least squares analysis that tested a system of 4 equations which included relationship commitment yielded a systemwide R(2) of 0.71 that was 0.09 higher than a system of equations excluding relationship commitment. Trust and commitment were positively associated with adherence (P <.001 and P = .02, respectively). We also found positive relationships between adherence and commitment and between trust and commitment (P <.001 for each). Adherence and commitment were both associated with healthy eating behavior as well (P <.001 for each).

Conclusions: Patients' trust in their physician and commitment to the relationship offer a more complete understanding of the patient-physician relationship. In addition, trust and commitment favorably influence patients' health behaviors.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual diagram of proposed model relationships.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
System of 4 equations used to assess relationships among the variables of interest.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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