The relationship between human dignity and medication adherence in patients with heart failure

Medication adherence is a behavior that is influenced by several factors, and maintaining patients’ dignity is an important issue that needs to be considered in the course of treatment. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between human dignity and medication adherence in patients with heart failure. This was a cross-sectional study. A total number of 300 patients with heart failure admitted to the Mazandaran Heart Center, Iran, participated in this study by census. Samples were selected based on inclusion criteria such as an HF diagnosis by a cardiologist for a minimum of 6 months, and taking at least one cardiac medication. Data were collected through demographic, clinical, human dignity, and medication adherence questionnaires over a period of three months in 2016. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Consents were obtained from patients and the medical center, and necessary explanations were given about the confidentiality of information prior to completing the questionnaires. The mean score of medication adherence was 5.82 suggesting low medication adherence among the patients, and the mean score of human dignity was 81.39. There was a negative relationship between medication adherence and threat to human dignity (r = - 0.6, P < 0.001), i.e., the higher the scores of threat, the lower the medication adherence of the patients. After adjusting the effects of potential confounding variables, there still was a correlation between medication adherence and the variables of human dignity and its dimensions. Based on the findings, an increase in patients’ dignity can enhance medication adherence, which can theoretically improve patients’ health and reduce frequent hospitalization.