Health Behavior Change and Treatment Adherence: Evidence-based Guidelines for Improving Healthcare

Abstract

Each year, millions of people resolve to take better care of their health and almost a billion medical visits take place. Yet as many as half of these visits result in patient nonadherence, and most people who successfully begin necessary health behavior changes fail to maintain them. Healthcare professionals often struggle to provide their patients with the tools necessary for successful maintenance of healthy behavior. This book synthesizes the results from an overwhelming number of empirical research articles on adherence and health behavior change, providing simple, powerful, and practical guidance for health professionals. A set of effective evidence-based strategies for putting long-term health-relevant behavioral changes into practice includes the straightforward 3-ingredient Information-Motivation-Strategy model that has been supported by decades of outcomes research. In order to change, individuals must (1) know what change is necessary information; (2) desire the change (motivation); and then (3) have the tools to achieve and maintain the change (strategy). Numerous clinical examples illustrate the important practice principles offered. Health Behavior Change and Treatment Adherence brings together major research findings in a succinct, readable, practical, and usable format for making real changes. It is written for a wide variety of practitioners and students including those in medicine, chiropractic, osteopathy, nursing, health education, physician assistant programs, dentistry, clinical and health psychology, marriage and family counseling, social work, school psychology, and care administration. This book is also for anyone who wishes to take an active role in their health.