Abstract

PEREIRA, M. Graça  and  SILVA, Sofia. Atribuição de sintomas, comportamentos de saúde e adesão em utentes de Centro de Saúde da Zona Norte . Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2002, vol.20, n.1, pp.35-43. ISSN 0870-8231.

This article describes a study, in health psychology, on the relationship between attribution style, practice of healthy behaviors and adherence (measured in terms of medications prescribed and taken). The sample is made of 246 patients from several health centers, selected using a stratified sampling method. The instruments used were: Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire, an Health Style Questionnaire and the Reported Adherence to Medication Scale. Results showed a positive relationship between the practice of healthy behaviors and adherence, and between the somatic attribution style and negative attitudes towards doctors. There were also differences in terms of gender regarding the practice of healthy behaviors. Results showed the importance of developing health promotion programs, especially towards men, and also the need to include cognitive variables, specifically attribution style, in medical practice

Keywords : Family medicine; cognitive factors; healthy behavior.

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