The relationship between spirituality and compliance in patients with heart failure.

A high incidence of noncompliance to prescribed treatment plans results in increased morbidity, hospitalizations, and mortality rates in patients with heart failure. Exploration of new avenues to encourage adherence is needed in nursing research. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a relationship existed between spirituality and compliance in patients with heart failure. The Spiritual Assessment Scale and the Heart Failure Compliance Questionnaire Revised were mailed to a convenience sample with a return response from 95 participants. Although mean scores for the Spiritual Assessment Scale and the Heart Failure Compliance Questionnaire Revised were high, data suggested no correlation existed between levels of spirituality and degree of compliance among the heart failure participants, r=16393; p=0.115. Although insignificant results were found between levels of spirituality and degree of compliance, the data did not rule out the importance of spirituality as a coping tool.