Beliefs about medication and dietary compliance in people with heart failure: an instrument development study.
BACKGROUND
Sodium retention is often a precursor to hospitalization in people with heart failure (HF). Lack of compliance with medications and with dietary sodium restrictions affects sodium retention.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Beliefs about Medication Compliance Scale and the Beliefs about Dietary Compliance Scale.


METHODS
The Beliefs about Medication Compliance Scale and the Beliefs about Dietary Compliance Scale are instruments we developed specifically to measure beliefs about compliance with behaviors that affect sodium retention in persons with HF. The scales, based on the Health Belief Model, were designed from a review of literature and from self-reports of people with HF. A convenience sample of 101 people with HF completed the scales.


RESULTS
Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory. Factor analysis provided initial support for construct validity of the scales.


CONCLUSIONS
Future testing of the scales is needed in more diverse populations. The scales can then be used to test interventions tailored to individual subjects' beliefs about compliance.
Bennett
S J
SJ
Indiana University, School of Nursing, Indianapolis 46202, USA.
Milgrom
L B
LB
Champion
V
V
Huster
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires