Relationships between adherence, sense of coherence, and knowledge in cardiac rehabilitation.

Seventy-nine subjects took part in a cross-sectional study to investigate knowledge of and adherence to lifestyle recommendations 2 years after cardiac rehabilitation. The relationship of adherence, Antonovsky's sense of coherence (SOC) concept, and knowledge also were explored. Data were collected via a mailed questionnaire. The majority of the subjects showed a high degree of program-related knowledge and a significant increase in desired behaviors. A modest correlation was found between knowledge and SOC, whereas, contrary to expectations, there was no significant association between SOC and adherence. The results question the concept of adherence to medical regimens as a measure of successful coping.