A new study by researchers at NYU School of Medicine reveals that positive affirmation, when coupled with patient education, seems to help patients more effectively follow their prescribed medication regimen. The study, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, appears online ahead of print today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

For the study, Gbenga O. Ogedegbe, MD, of the Center for Healthful Behavior Change at NYU School of Medicine, and colleagues enrolled 256 hypertensive African-Americans and randomized them into two study groups. Patients in both groups received a hypertension self-management workbook, a behavioral contract that asked participants to make a commitment to taking their medications as prescribed, and bimonthly telephone calls to help the participants overcome barriers to medication compliance.

Patients in the intervention group were given an extra chapter in their workbook that addressed the benefits of positive moments in overcoming obstacles to taking their blood pressure medications. They were also encouraged during their bimonthly calls to identify small things in their lives that invoke positive feelings and to incorporate those positive thoughts into their daily routines. As part of the intervention, these participants received unexpected small gifts mailed to them before each telephone call and were asked to remember their core values and proud moments in their lives whenever they encounter situations that make it difficult for them to take their medications.

Researchers followed the participants for one year and then compared medication adherence between the two groups for the study period. They found that participants in the intervention group had 22% higher adherence rates than those in the control group, indicating that enhancing simple patient education with positive psychology can have a significant impact on adherence rates.