SOCIAL SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE AFTER COMPLETION OF A CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 119
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Social support and compliance in cardiac patients' post-rehabilitation has not been previously explored. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there was a correlation between social support and compliance of a patient to a medical regimen after completion of a cardiac rehabilitation program. A second purpose was to assess the correlation between the patient and his or her significant other's reports of compliance. The sample consisted of patients 6-12 months post-rehabilitation, who had a diagnosis of M.I. or angina, and/or had received interventional therapy. Men and women up to the age of 85 years were included.

A compliance questionnaire was developed, tested for content validity, and administered to 40 subjects and their significant others. The questionnaire assessed the patient's compliance to prescribed diet, exercise, medication adherence, smoking cessation, and stress reduction. Additionally, an analogue scale was completed which ranked the subject's level of compliance on a scale of 1-10. Social support was evaluated by the University of California at Los Angeles Social Support Inventory. This tool was administered to patients only and was utilized to assess three areas of social support: (a) information, (b) support, and (c) emotional support.

The total scores received from patients on the UCLA Social Support Inventory and the compliance questionnaire resulted in no significant correlations. The utilization of the three subscales of the UCLA Social Support Inventory with the compliance tool also revealed a lack of significant findings. However, using the 12 subscale categories created from the UCLA inventory, the category of sources of support sought was significantly correlated with the overall compliance score obtained from the patient and length of time in rehabilitation. The patient's and significant other's reports of compliance were moderately correlated ($r$ =.46) utilizing the analogue scale as an overall measure of compliance. Results obtained from this study suggest the value of continued assessment of the impact of social support on compliance in the cardiac rehabilitation patient.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-01, Section: B, page: 0162.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1990.

School code: 0005.