Fishbein's model of reasoned action and compliance behavior of hypertensive patients.

A causal model based on Fishbein's Model of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) was tested in a hypertensive population. Intention was hypothesized to affect compliance behavior of hypertensive patients directly and to mediate the effect of the other variables. Attitude, perceived beliefs of others, and motivation to comply were hypothesized to directly affect intentions and indirectly affect compliance behavior as mediated by intention. Fifty-six newly diagnosed hypertensive patients completed the variable measures 6 months after receiving outpatient instructions. Path analysis demonstrated the Fishbein Model was found sufficient for the prescriptions of diet, smoking, activity and stress, but not for medication. Findings indicated that compliance behavior was directly influenced by intention which, in turn, was influenced directly by attitude and motivation to comply and indirectly by the perceived beliefs of others mediated by motivation to comply for the prescriptions of diet, activity, smoking, and stress prescriptions. For the medication prescription, attitude and motivation to comply directly influenced regimen compliance.