three postoperative days (r = -0.04, p = 0.69). However, those participants who self-

assessed their health as good to excellent did have less pain on day one (r = 0.31, p =

0.00), day two (r = -0.29, p= 0.00) and day three (r = -0.22, p = 0.02). There was no

reduction in analgesic medication use (r = -0.11, p = 0.25). An ANOVA regression

found there was no relationship for a high degree of spirituality, a high self-health

assessment and the use of less pain medication (F = 1.04, p = 0.38).

 The study supported the hypothesis that older adults who rate their self-health as

good, very good or excellent experienced less postoperative pain but this study did not

support less pain medication use. Second, this research did not support the hypothesis

that a participant's spirituality influences pain or analgesic medication use after

arthroplasty surgery. Third, a high degree of spirituality and good health together did not

make a difference in the amount of analgesic medication used for pain control.

 The majority (81.7%) of the participants felt their health was good, very good or

excellent. Second, most (67%) indicated they were highly spiritual and 70% felt that

spiritual health contributes to physical health. Finally, the majority of the respondents

believe in spiritual coping behaviors such as prayer, belief in an afterlife and a personal

relationship with a greater power.

 This research found that an individual who rates their self-health as good, very

good or excellent has less pain after arthroplasty surgery, but this self-health assessment

does not influence the use of pain medication. Although participants considered

themselves "highly spiritual", their spirituality did not influence postoperative pain or

pain medication use.