Factors affecting patients' compliance with doctors' advice.

To what extent, and with what success, are family physicians advising patients to diet, exercise and reduce smoking? A study of 24 family physicians in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and 66 patients with cardiovascular problems showed that two-thirds of the patients received some such advice during the audiotaped visit. Of those who did receive such advice, 29% reported at a home interview ten days later that they remembered the advice. The doctor's behavior in the interaction was found to influence the patient's memory of the advice. However, the patient's attitudes and problems were the only variables shown to affect whether or not he followed the advice.