The Difference in Effectiveness Between Motivational Interviewing Counseling and the Health Belief Model on Medication Adherence in Patients with Hypertension

Abstract

Adherence to antihypertensive treatment is essential for therapeutic success, yet many patients fail to comply with their medication regimens. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) counseling and the health belief model (HBM) counseling in improving medication adherence among hypertensive patients in the Prolanis Program at Ciptomulyo Public Health Center. A quasi-experimental design with a two-group pre-test–post-test approach was used. The study involved 50 participants selected through consecutive sampling, divided evenly into MI and HBM groups (25 each). The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was used to assess adherence. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests. In the MI group, adherence scores significantly increased from a median of 3 to 8 (p < 0.001), while in the HBM group, scores rose from a median of 2 to 6 (p < 0.001), indicating both methods were effective. However, the Mann–Whitney test showed MI counseling was more effective than HBM, with a post-test median of 8 vs. 6 (p < 0.001). MI counseling enhances self-efficacy, increasing patients' confidence to follow treatment instructions, thus promoting better adherence.