Preferences for a patient-centered role orientation: Association with patient-information-seeking behavior and clinical markers of health

Austin S. Baldwin, Jamie A. Cvengros, Alan J. Christensen, Areef Ishani, Peter J. Kaboli

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19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Few data exist examining how patients' preferred role orientation (patient-centered or provider-centered) is associated with "patient-centered" behavior and clinical markers of health. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate how patients' preferred role orientation is associated with information-seeking behavior and clinical markers of health in a chronically ill population. Methods: Participants were 189 hypertensive patients, at two VA Medical Centers and four community-based clinics, who completed measures of preferred role orientation and medication information seeking. Lab values of patients' blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c were used as clinical markers. Results: Preference for a patient-centered role was associated with seeking medication information from various sources (e.g., the internet [OR=1.14, 95% CI=1.05-1.23]) and with the number of sources from which patients obtained information (β=.21, p=0.005). However, patient-centered preferences were also associated with higher systolic blood pressure (β=0.16, p=0.04), higher diastolic blood pressure (β=.15, p=0.04), and higher LDL cholesterol (β=0.17, p=0.04). There was no association with glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (β=-0.10, p=0.36). Conclusions: Patients who preferred a patient-centered role engaged in behavior consistent with their preferences, but had higher blood pressure and less favorable lipid levels. These findings are discussed in terms of the nature and treatment of certain chronic conditions that may explain why a patient-centered role orientation is associated with a less favorable clinical profile in some contexts.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)80-86
Number of pages7
JournalAnnals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume35
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgment The research reported here was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Service through the Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice (CRIISP; HFP 04-149). Dr. Baldwin is a VA HSR&D Postdoctoral Fellow in CRIISP at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. Dr. Kaboli is supported by a Research Career Development Award from the Health Services Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs (RCD 03-033). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This research was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, March 2007, Washington, D.C.

Keywords

  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Hyperlipidemia
  • Hypertension
  • Patient-centeredness
  • Patient-role orientation
  • Veterans

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