Introduction. Cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction have been among the leading causes of death among Poles for many years. Modern techniques of diagnosing and treating heart attacks allow for further survival. However, it is usually necessary to modify the existing lifestyle and accept the changes that result from it. Not only support from relatives, but also the implementation of religious needs can be helpful in accepting the disease. Understanding these factors can turn out to be significant for healthcare professionals in caring for the patient. Aim. The aim of this research was to study the religiosity and acceptance of the disease and the relationships between them in patients after myocardial infarction. Material and methods. The studies were conducted from February to April 2018 among patients of the University Hospital in Krakow. A group of 92 people participated in the study The author’s original quesionnaires, the Individual Religiousness Scale and the Disease Acceptance Scale were used in the study. All respondents declared themselves as believers, professing Roman Catholic faith. During the data analysis parametric and nonparametric tests were used. Results. The group of patients was characterized by a high level of religiousness and disease acceptance. Women and the elderly were characterized by a higher level of religiousness, which in turn had no significant effect on the acceptance of the disease. Conclusions. The implementation of religious needs may contribute to a better functioning of the patient after serious cardiac events and help to accept a new health situation.

Key words: myocardial infarction, religiousness, acceptance of disease.