Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Chester S. Jones

Abstract

Nonadherence to medications for chronic illnesses is a public health problem that requires education related to its illnesses and medications in order to reduce morbidity, mortality, and health care costs, and to improve quality of life. Scholars have identified that morbidity and mortality are much higher among African Americans due to poor medication adherence when compared to Euro-Americans. This study focused on African Americans to increase their medication adherence with chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of using different educational methods to enhance medication adherence. The social cognitive theory and the theory of planned behavior were used as a foundation to develop this quantitative study. Three validated tools were used to assess the effectiveness of educational methods to see if there would be any increase in knowledge, self-efficacy, and change in health beliefs. A sample size of 144 African Americans in Chicago with chronic illnesses was randomized to an experimental group that received education on medication adherence for a period of 8 weeks through lecture, video presentation, roleplaying, and group discussion. A control group received regular education for the same 8 weeks. ANOVA, ANCOVA, and MANOVA statistical methods were used to analyze the findings that reported no statistical significance in the knowledge difference scores F(1,261) = 0.17, p = 0.678, self-efficacy difference scores F(1,259) = 0.96, p = 0.328, and health beliefs difference scores F(4,258) = 0.46, p = 0.765. This study contributes to social change by identifying a public health problem which can be improved by adding and testing other variables such as fatigue and cognitive and sensory deficits associated with chronic illnesses, which could yield a more valuable in-depth understanding.

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