Current Research in Medical Sciences
Babol Univesity of Medical Sciences
Tue, Oct 20, 2026
[Archive]
Volume 10, Issue 1 (10-2026)
CRMS 2026, 10(1): 1-10 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Dashteban Namaghi A, Akhoundzadeh G, Aghajani Azin Abadi S, Talebzadeh Z. Association between Daily Spiritual Experiences and Medication Adherence among Elderly with Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Golestan Province, Iran. CRMS 2026; 10 (1) : 1
URL: http://crms.mubabol.ac.ir/article-1-219-en.html
URL: http://crms.mubabol.ac.ir/article-1-219-en.html
Department of Nursing, Aliabad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran , G-akhoondzadeh@yahoo.com
Abstract: (17 Views)
Background: Given the growing elderly population, the high prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, and the critical importance of medication adherence for disease control, this study was conducted to determine the association between daily spiritual experiences and medication adherence among elderly patients with diabetes in Golestan Province, Iran, in 2023.
Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study included 200 elderly participants selected via a multi-stage cluster random sampling method based on the inclusion criteria. Sampling was conducted from clinics and endocrinology offices in various cities of Golestan Province. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire (age, gender, marital status, education level, medication and smoking history, and diabetes history), the Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology (CQR) for medication adherence, and the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 26, with a significance level of P < 0.05.
Results: A significant negative association was found between spiritual experiences and medication adherence (P < 0.001). Low adherence had the highest mean spiritual experience score (75.71 ± 9.88), while high adherence had the lowest (65.08 ± 10.61). Adherence was higher among those using 3–5 medications (P < 0.001) and those without hospitalization history (P = 0.001). Higher spiritual experiences were associated with re-employment, having four children, primary education, using 3–5 medications, hospitalization history, lower self-rated health vs peers, and disease duration of 6–10 years (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results demonstrate a significant negative association between daily spiritual experiences and medication adherence among elderly patients with diabetes. This counterintuitive finding, potentially influenced by unmeasured confounders such as health literacy, socioeconomic status, or social support, suggests that higher spirituality may be associated with poorer adherence. Further qualitative and interventional research is warranted to clarify the underlying mechanisms.
Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study included 200 elderly participants selected via a multi-stage cluster random sampling method based on the inclusion criteria. Sampling was conducted from clinics and endocrinology offices in various cities of Golestan Province. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire (age, gender, marital status, education level, medication and smoking history, and diabetes history), the Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology (CQR) for medication adherence, and the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 26, with a significance level of P < 0.05.
Results: A significant negative association was found between spiritual experiences and medication adherence (P < 0.001). Low adherence had the highest mean spiritual experience score (75.71 ± 9.88), while high adherence had the lowest (65.08 ± 10.61). Adherence was higher among those using 3–5 medications (P < 0.001) and those without hospitalization history (P = 0.001). Higher spiritual experiences were associated with re-employment, having four children, primary education, using 3–5 medications, hospitalization history, lower self-rated health vs peers, and disease duration of 6–10 years (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results demonstrate a significant negative association between daily spiritual experiences and medication adherence among elderly patients with diabetes. This counterintuitive finding, potentially influenced by unmeasured confounders such as health literacy, socioeconomic status, or social support, suggests that higher spirituality may be associated with poorer adherence. Further qualitative and interventional research is warranted to clarify the underlying mechanisms.
Article number: 1
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
پرستاری
Received: 2025/10/11 | Accepted: 2025/12/27 | Published: 2026/10/19
Received: 2025/10/11 | Accepted: 2025/12/27 | Published: 2026/10/19
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
