OBJECTIVE:The relationship between appointmentkeeping behavior, medication adherence (ADH), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) was assessed in 153 hypertensive African Americans followed in a community-based practice.METHODS: ADH was assessed with a self-report questionnaire. BP was obtained from electronic medical records and appointment attendance was determined from the log of all appointments made during the 12-month study period. Nonadherence rates were compared across appointment attendance categories with chi-square. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between ADH and appointment attendance, whereas multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to examine the relationship between appointment attendance and BP.RESULTS: Twenty-five percent of patients (87% women, mean age 52 years) did not miss any appointments, 44% missed 1-30%, and 31% missed greater than 30%. Adjusted nonadherence rates were similar for all 3 categories (70%, 66%, and 65%, respectively, p=0.88) as were adjusted mean SBP and DBP in the MANCOVA model, [F (4, 218)=1.13, p=.34]. Logistic regression analysis did not indicate a significant relationship between appointment attendance and ADH.