Social Support Intensity Research Articles

Intensity of Social Support Matters: A Latent Class Analysis to Identify Levels of Social Support Associated with Optimal Health Outcomes Among Women Living with HIV

Social support is associated with improved HIV care and quality of life. We utilized latent class analysis to identify three classes of baseline emotional and tangible perceived social support, termed "Strong", "Wavering" and "Weak". "Weak" vs. "Strong" perceived social support was associated over time with an 8% decreased risk of optimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence for emotional and 6% decreased risk for tangible perceived social support. Importantly, "Wavering" vs "Strong" social support also showed a decreased risk of ART adherence of 6% for emotional and 3% for tangible support. "Strong" vs. "Weak" perceived support had a similar association with undetectable viral load, but the association for "Strong" vs. "Wavering" support was not statistically significant. Intensity of social support is associated with HIV care outcomes, and strong social support may be needed for some individuals. It is important to quantify the level or intensity of social support that is needed to optimize HIV outcomes.

Older Adults in Poor Health Received Social Support Mainly From Family: The Singapore Chinese Health Study

While having social support can contribute to the health of older adults, those in poor health may be limited in their capacity to receive social support. We studied health factors associated with social support among 16,948 participants from follow-up 3 of the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of older Singapore Chinese. Participants were interviewed at mean age of 73 years (range from 61 to 96 years) using the Duke Social Support Scale. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was applied to derive groups based on the source and intensity of social support. We ran multivariate logistic regression models to study health factors associated with group membership. LCA revealed four groups in increasing social support scores: The “family restricted”, who had the lowest social support scores and only received support from family (50%); the “loners”, who had some support from extended family and non-family (5%); the “family oriented”, who had broad family support and some non-family support (28%); and the “overall supported”, who had the highest social support scores and received broad support from family, extended family and non-family (17%). Compared to the “overall supported” group, health factors associated with being “family restricted” were: having instrumental limitations [odds ratio (OR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.50], having poor self-rated health (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.28-1.54), being depressed (OR 2.49, 95% CI 2.21-2.81) and being cognitively impaired (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.37). Our results showed that older adults in poor health received social support mainly from family.

Psychological Factors of Treatment Adherence in Patients with Essential Arterial Hypertension

Introduction In Russian clinical tradition and psychological research of Vygotsky-Luria school much consideration is given to relationships between the doctor and the patient, regarding it as an efficiency factor of treatment and rehabilitation. Objectives To evaluate the concordance with treatment adherence and those psychological factors that affect the treatment compliance in patients with essential arterial hypertension (EAH). Methods A questionnaire-based study was undertaken with EAH patients attending public hospitals in Moscow, Russia. There were applied a Questionnaire for Interpersonal Relationships Assessment (Sobchik, 2005), Questionnaire for Assessment of Types of Attitudes Towards the Disease (Wasserman, 2005), Psychodiagnostic Interview for Treatment Adherence, Drug Attitude Inventory, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988). 170 EAH patients took part in the study, the mean age was 46.7±4.1 years, EAH duration was 7.2±2.6 years. Results It was found that 75.3% of the patients defied the doctor's prescriptions. Forgetfulness, lack of tendance, and negligence were ranked as the top three reasons for this non-compliance. A statistically significant relationship with non-compliance was found for anxious, melancholic and neurasthenic types of attitude towards the disease, as well as predominance of distrustfully-skeptical interaction style in a dyad 'doctor-patient' and the lack of social support, and such characteristics, as age and education level. Patients with high compliance have predominantly sensitive type of attitude towards the disease, high intensity of social support, and dependent-obedient style of interaction with doctor. Conclusions These results indicate the need to consider the psychological factors to improve treatment adherence in EAH patients.

Hopelessness and Related Variables Among Cancer Patients in the Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study (SEPOS)

Although hopelessness has been studied in cancer, no data are available in non-English-speaking countries. The authors sought to amass data from Southern European countries (Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) in order to fill this void. A group of 312 cancer patients completed the Mini-MAC Hopelessness subscale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Cancer Worry Inventory (CWI), and a six-item Visual Analog scale (VAS) to measure intensity of physical symptoms, general well-being, difficulty in coping with cancer, intensity of social support from close relationships, leisure activity, and support from religious beliefs. Regression analysis indicated that HADS-Depression, VAS Maladaptive Coping and Well-Being, and the CWI explained 42% of the variance. Hopelessness in cancer patients seems not exclusively to correspond to depression, but is related to various other psychosocial factors, such as maladaptive coping, as well.

Morbilidad psíquica y apoyo social en reclusos en tratamiento con antirretrovirales

To define the incidence of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders in prisoners of three prisons of CCAA in treatment with antiretrovirals, and moreover the associated variables and the intensity of social support within the prison. Through a cross-sectional design 281 prisoners were studied. 42% showed mental morbidity and 53.4% lacked social support. To be imprisoned in the Granada prison, to be a woman, poor health state, to describe difficulties for compliance with antiretrovirals drug, a history greater than 13 years for drugs consumption, and usual residence with the couple of family, all were factors associated with mental morbidity. Factors associated with social support non-existence were history of more than one imprisonment, lack of familiarity with the medical equipment, to be more than 35 years old, and to suffer mental morbidity.