Abstract
BackgroundFunctional social support has a stronger association with medical treatment adherence than structural social support in several populations and disease conditions. Using a contemporary U.S. population of adults treated with medications for coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, the association between social support and medication adherence was examined.MethodsWe included 17,113 black and white men and women with CHD or CHD risk factors aged ≥45 years recruited 2003–2007 from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Participants reported their perceived social support (structural social support: being partnered, number of close friends, number of close relatives, and number of other adults in household; functional social support: having a caregiver in case of sickness or disability; combination of structural and functional social support: number of close friends or relatives seen at least monthly). Medication adherence was assessed using a 4-item scale. Multi-variable adjusted Poisson regression models were used to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) for the association between social support and medication adherence.ResultsPrevalence of medication adherence was 68.9%. Participants who saw >10 close friends or relatives at least monthly had higher prevalence of medication adherence (PR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.11) than those who saw ≤3 per month. Having a caregiver in case of sickness or disability, being partnered, number of close friends, number of close relatives, and number of other adults in household were not associated with medication adherence after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionsSeeing multiple friends and relatives was associated with better medication adherence among individuals with CHD risk factors. Increasing social support with combined structural and functional components may help support medication adherence.
Highlights
Seeing multiple friends and relatives was associated with better medication adherence among individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors
Medications can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and mortality among people with known CHD and/or CHD risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia [1,2,3]
Social networks provide social support via a series of relationships and interconnectedness through which members influence each other’s behaviors by their daily interactions and feedback mechanisms [11]. These networks may increase treatment adherence through support received from relatives and friends as well as assistance provided for self-care activities [9]
Summary
Medications can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and mortality among people with known CHD and/or CHD risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia [1,2,3]. Social networks provide social support via a series of relationships and interconnectedness through which members influence each other’s behaviors by their daily interactions and feedback mechanisms [11]. These networks may increase treatment adherence through support received from relatives and friends as well as assistance provided for self-care activities [9]. Functional social support has a stronger association with medical treatment adherence than structural social support in several populations and disease conditions. Using a contemporary U.S population of adults treated with medications for coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, the association between social support and medication adherence was examined
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
