A global look at compliance in health/safety and rehabilitation.

The problem of compliance with safety and/or treatment programs is enormous. The purpose of this paper is to provide a foundation for development of a more global view of compliance. A literature review on the influence of motivation, attitude formation, and health beliefs and their impact on health behaviors is provided. Traditionally, compliance means that the patient does what the health professional wants. What is needed is for the patient to internalize a program. We must sell programs to the patient! Compliance with programs depends on the person's behavior-change skills and the supports or barriers encountered in the behavior change attempts. Knowing the person's concept of the condition and his power over it, known as the locus of control, is critical. Successful therapists help patients decide to follow a program. Successful sales people know their product, learn the prospect's dominant buying motive, combine facts with benefits, and present arguments that fit the person's belief system and norms.