Social Support Rating Research Articles

Correlation Between Social Support and HPV Vaccination Behavior of Female Sex Workers in Entertainment Venues in a Region of Guangxi, China.

To understand the current situation for social support and HPV vaccination behavior of female sex workers (FSWs) in entertainment venues and to explore the association between the support and HPV vaccination behavior. 923 FSWs in entertainment venues in a region of Guangxi were selected as survey respondents by using intentional sampling and employing a self-developed basic information questionnaire. The social support rating and the HPV vaccination behavior scales were analyzed to determine the current status of support and HPV vaccination behavior of FSWs in entertainment venues. In addition, the correlations between these parameters were analyzed. The total score of social support of FSWs in entertainment venues was 35.13±8.10, and the score for HPV vaccination behavior was 30.08±5.73. There were significant differences between these two parameters for FSWs of different ages, monthly incomes and working hours (P < 0.05). Objective, subjective and social support were positively correlated with all dimensions of HPV vaccination behavior (r = 0.212~0.236, 0.245~0.334 and 0.113~0.152, respectively; P < 0.01 in all cases). Typical correlation analysis yielded a correlation between these three dimensions of social support as well as with two dimensions of HPV vaccination behavior (self-decision-making and self-efficacy) (r = 0.373; P < 0.01). Social support and HPV vaccination behavior of FSWs in entertainment venues initially low. However, as social support for FSWs was increased, their behavior towards HPV vaccination was elevated. Both subjective and objective support helped FSWs in entertainment venues their behavior to HPV vaccination and to maintain their physical and mental health.

Substance Use and Housing Stability among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness and a Traumatic Brain Injury: The Role of Social Support

Purpose: When compared to the general population, people experiencing homelessness have significantly higher rates of TBI (traumatic brain injury). Individuals experiencing homelessness and a TBI require social support because it can serve as a protective factor in reducing the risks of substance use and positively impact housing stability. This study aimed to better understand how social networks influence housing stability among individuals experiencing homelessness and a TBI. Materials and methods: A purposive sampling design was utilized to recruit and survey 115 adults experiencing homelessness. Quantitative questions captured data on demographic information, brain injury-related variables, homelessness-related variables, social network support types and characteristics, and correlates of housing instability including self-report substance use variables. Results: Findings showed that substance use was, indeed, a barrier to stay in or afford housing. Additionally, rates of social support were uniformly low across the sample, showing the unique vulnerabilities associated with homelessness and TBI and homelessness in general. Conclusion: Intervention efforts may consider fostering support networks, as social support has been linked to both housing stability and non-housing outcomes such as reduced substance use, improved health, and community reintegration.

Trailblazers in Medicine: First-Generation Students' Sense of Belonging at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Purpose: As medical schools work to diversify the field, it is important to understand the experience of First Generation (First Gen) students. The majority of medical students have a parent with a college degree, and many have a physician parent. This creates an uneven playing field for First Gen students, who make up to 20% of the medical student population; half of these students are also underrepresented in medicine. 1 As the first in their family to graduate from college, these students often do not have access to the same social capital as their peers. Compared with the general population, First Gen students have increased levels of stress, fatigue, financial worries, and a lower quality of life and social support ratings. 2 When medical students feel supported by their medical school, they report higher engagement in self-care and decreased stress levels. 3 This study evaluated the level of support experienced by First Gen students at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) and their sense of belonging. IUSM currently has a First Gen student group and annual programs and this study was developed to determine tangible solutions to provide better support for first-generation students in medical school. Given the dearth of research on First Gen medical students, this study can provide insight to other professionals on factors to be reviewed when developing a holistic approach to First Gen student support. Method: Our research questions were: How are first-generation students in medical school supported or not supported at IUSM, and where are there areas for improvement at IUSM? Which factors, if any, contribute to first-generation students in medical school’s sense of belonging at IUSM? We conducted 16 qualitative Zoom interviews with each interview ranging between 15 and 45 minutes with First Generation medical students at IUSM. Interviews consisted of 6 structured questions and 1 question for additional information. Results: We discovered that students found a sense of belonging through pre-matriculation programs, peer mentors, lead advisors, and through the First Generation Committee. Students did not feel a sense of belonging due to a lack of resources curated specifically for First Generation students, an increased need for specialized training for staff and faculty to better support first-generation students, and more in-person community building events with those who share the first-generation identity. Discussion: To cultivate a diverse workforce, medical schools should provide an increased focus on specialized support services and advising strategies for staff and faculty as they work with First Gen students. To develop a sense of community, schools should collaborate to create more intentional social programming for this subpopulation of students to contribute to greater levels of sense of belonging and support. A registry of First Gen students, faculty, and staff can aid in community building. Schools should consider developing an intentional mentorship through family clusters and peer mentorship pairings with other First Gen community members. Finally, resources explaining the “hidden curriculum” must be developed. Significance: First Gen students are a strength to the profession, often possessing resiliency and an ability to connect with diverse patients. Yet, topics that educators assume students understand—such as Step exams, health care systems, what is an ICU, how much they should expect to pay for study materials—must instead be taught. To support First Gen student wellness and academic performance, new structures must become embedded within undergraduate medical education. Acknowledgments: The authors wish to thank the first-generation medical students at Indiana University for sharing their time and experiences with us.

Association among high blood pressure health literacy, social support and health-related quality of life among a community population with hypertension: a community-based cross-sectional study in China

ObjectivesThe prevalence of hypertension is increasing worldwide. Hypertensive patients in China have limited high blood pressure health literacy (HBP-HL) and social support (SS), which may have an impact on health-related...

Anxiety and social support needs of Chinese women receiving a high-risk screening result for Down syndrome.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and the associations between social support and anxiety symptoms among Chinese pregnant women receiving a high-risk screening result for Down syndrome. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, from September 2020 to July 2021 among 260 Chinese pregnant women receiving a high-risk screening result for Down syndrome. Measures included the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Social Support Rating Scale. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms (SAS ≥50) was 30.8%. Advanced age (≥35years), education≤high school, pregnancy following in vitro fertilization, and low level of social support were predictors of anxiety symptoms. The results suggest that early routine screening for anxiety symptoms should be carried out among Chinese pregnant women receiving a high-risk screening result for Down syndrome. The importance of social support and the role it can play in decreasing anxiety should be discussed with patients.

MO132: Gait Speed in Predialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study from the Role of AST120 in Sarcopenia Prevention in Pre-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gait speed (GS) is an important measure of functional ability. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with GS in patients with chronic kidney disease with respect to sarcopenic component, plasma uremic or inflammatory markers and quality of life. METHOD The RolE of AST120 in sarCOpenia preVEntion in pRe-dialYsis chronic kidney disease patients is a 48-week, randomized controlled, parallel group, open-label, multicentre trial to determine the role of AST-120 in patients with chronic kidney disease. A total of 150 study participants were recruited from six general hospitals in South Korea. The participants were classified into four groups according to GS: ≤0.8, 0.8–1.0, ≤1.0–1.3 and ≥1.3 m/s. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with GS. RESULTS The mean GS was 1.06 ± 0.3 m/s. The mean age of the total population was 65.0 ± 10.8 years, and 97 (64.7%) were males. The group with a GS ≤ 0.8 m/s was the oldest and had the highest proportion of participants with low education level and medical aid. The levels of albumin, creatinine, eGFR and proteinuria did not differ between the groups. Participants with a GS ≤ 0.8 m/s showed the lowest level of physical component scale (PCS) and mental component scale (MCS). The levels of IS, TNF-α and myostatin were not different between the groups; however, the level of IL-6 showed a higher trend in the lower GS group. HGS and GS showed weak correlations with one another (R2 = 0.066, P &amp;lt; .001); however, GS and the SMI were not significantly associated (R2 = 0.016, P = .119). In the multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, medical aid (β = –18.4, P = .007), handgrip strength (β = 0.85, P = .031), interleukin-6 level (β = –13.2, P = .001), haemoglobin (β = 2.84, P = .041), MCS (β = 0.45, P &amp;lt; .001) and PCS (β = 0.51, P &amp;lt; .001) were significantly associated with GS. Specifically, physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health problems and bodily pain in PCS, role limitation due to emotional problems, vitality and social functioning in MCS were statistically significantly correlated with GS. In the kidney disease-specific scale, symptom/problem, work status, cognitive function, quality of social interactions, social support and overall health rating in kidney disease were statistically significantly correlated with GS in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION GS is associated with handgrip strength, interleukin-6 and various components of quality of life including MCS and PCS.

Separate but Related: Dimensions of Healthcare Provider Social Support in Day-Treatment Oncology Units.

Social support by healthcare providers has been increasingly investigated during the past decade, but studies have made different choices concerning its measurement. To evaluate how social support from a healthcare provider impacts the perceived quality of care and patient outcomes, reliable and valid instruments capable of measuring specific aspects of the construct are needed. In study 1, we tested the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a new Healthcare Provider Social Support measure (HPSS) for oncology settings. One-hundred-sixty-two patients (89 females; M age = 58.97, SD age = 13.28) from religious and government-operated hospitals completed the HPSS during day treatment. We modeled the HPSS factor structure to represent four related aspects: Emotional, Informational, Appraisal, and Instrumental social support. Study 2 preliminarily assessed the concurrent validity of the HPSS with patient perceptions of the patient-doctor relationship. Sixty-nine patients (40 females; M age = 53.67, SD age = 13.74) completed the HPPS with scales assessing perceived doctor-patient communication and patient trust in the healthcare provider. Study 1, using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling, showed that a bifactor model had an excellent fit. The analysis supported the use of subscale scores, which were more tenable than a single total score in terms of bifactor model indices. This conclusion was also supported by greater scalability of the subscales in a Mokken Scale Analysis. Oncology patients treated in the religious hospital perceived greater Emotional, Informational, and Instrumental social support from their healthcare provider than those treated in government-operated. Study 2 showed that patient ratings of healthcare provider social support, except Instrumental, were positively correlated with better doctor communication skills and greater trust in the physician. Multiple regression analyses showed that Informational and Emotional support provided a unique contribution to building trust in the physician, controlling for the doctor’s communication skills. The study results showed that the four social support ratings were reliable and valid, sharpening the distinction between functional components in the formal healthcare system.

The Professional Identity and Career Attitude of Chinese Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China.

BackgroundAlthough professional identity is a strong predictor of career choice, only a few studies have reported on medical students' career attitude during a public health emergency. This study investigates the changes in medical students' professional identity and career attitude during the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluates their mental health and social support system under stress, and explores the relationship between their career attitude and other factors.MethodsAn online survey of 6,226 Chinese medical students was conducted to collect information on demographics, professional identity, and career attitude. The collected data were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale.ResultsThe results revealed that most (80.8%) of the participants did not change their career attitude and the professional identity of most participants strengthened, and they preferred to participate on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among medical students was 22.86% and 35.43%. Low social support, depressive symptoms, male gender, and higher grades were factors that negatively affected career attitude.ConclusionsAfter the outbreak of the pandemic, it was necessary to conduct diversified professional identity research to support medical students, especially those with low social support and depressive symptoms.

PERCEIVED STIGMA IN FIBROMYALGIA PATIENTS AND RELATED FACTORS

Objective: Familial and social support is low in fibromyalgia patients. The present study aimed to determine the stigma in fibromyalgia and related factors. Materials and Methods: The study is an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Between May-December 2020, two groups who applied to an outpatient clinic formed the participants: the first group included patients with Fibromyalgia and the second group consists of healthy controls. The presence of stigma was evaluated using the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, The Distress Tolerance Scale, The Discomfort Intolerance Scale, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnairev and Visual Analog Scale were used to determine the related factors. Results: In this study, which included 92 fibromyalgia and 46 healthy volunteers , stigma was significantly higher in fibromyalgia patients compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.002). A significant relationship was found between stigma and disease impact (p &lt; 0.001). In addition, as the duration and impact of the disease increased, the stigma scores increased and the rates of social support and resilience decreased (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: In fibromyalgia patients, the long duration of the disease, low level of social support, and high disease impact can be counted among the factors associated with stigma.

Association Between Alexithymia, Social Support, and Duration of Methamphetamine Use Among Male Methamphetamine-Dependent Patients.

Introduction: China has 1.18 million methamphetamine abusers. Among the illegal drugs in China, methamphetamine has the highest abuse rate. Although previous studies have indicated a positive relationship between alexithymia and declining social support, the incidence of alexithymia, the total duration of methamphetamine dependence, social support, and the relationships between them among methamphetamine-dependent patients in the Chinese population have been rarely reported.Methods: A total of 113 methamphetamine-dependent patients (all male, mean age 30.45 ± 3.81 years) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. General demographic data were collected. Alexithymia and social support were measured by Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Social Support Rating Scale.Results: Duration of methamphetamine use among Chinese male methamphetamine-dependent patients in compulsory detoxification was 8.01 ± 3.80 years on average, 23% (26/113) methamphetamine-dependent patients were considered to have alexithymia personality traits. Compared with short-duration methamphetamine-dependent patients (≤8 years), long-duration methamphetamine-dependent patients (> 8 years) were characterized by older age, higher incidence of alexithymia, less subjective social support and support availability, and greater difficulty in identifying feelings. The results of correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the total duration of methamphetamine use was positively correlated with difficulty in identifying feelings, but negatively correlated with subjective social support.Conclusions: This study provides support for an association between the duration of methamphetamine use and difficulty in identifying feelings or subjective social support. Although the causality is still unclear, this finding should be considered in the psychotherapy of methamphetamine rehabilitation.

The Association Between Social Support, COVID-19 Exposure, and Medical Students' Mental Health.

Background: The coronavirus disease−2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has halted in-person medical education worldwide. Limited studies have reported on the mental health status of medical students during this public health emergency. This study aimed to explore the association of personal virus exposure, regional epidemic condition, and social support with medical students' depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in China.Methods: In February 2020, 5,982 medical students (60.0% females, Meanage = 21.7 years, Medianage = 22 years) completed an online survey consisting of demographics, personal virus exposure, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale.Results: The prevalence rates of mild to severe depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms were 35.2 and 22.8%, respectively. Multivariate linear regression showed that students with low- or medium-level social support had a higher risk of experiencing depressive or anxiety symptoms than those with high-level social support. COVID-19 exposure was positively associated with mild to severe depressive or anxiety symptoms. Respondents living in provinces with 500–1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases had an increased risk of experiencing mild to severe depressive symptoms compared with those living in provinces with <100 cases. Other related factors were gender and years of training.Conclusions: Some medical students suffered from a poor psychological status during the COVID-19 outbreak. Low social support was a stronger factor related to poor mental status compared with COVID-19 exposure or the provincial epidemic condition. Thus, we suggest that colleges or universities provide social support and mental health screening.

Prevalence and Determinants of Psychological Distress in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Cancer: A Multicenter Survey

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the current prevalence and determinants of psychological distress and the association of distress with general information, character strengths, medical coping, and social support in Chinese adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15–39 years with cancer.Methods:A multicenter survey was carried out. Eight hundred and nine patients completed the Chinese version of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer (DT), the three-dimensional inventory of character strengths, the medical coping modes questionnaire, and the Social Support Rating Scale.Results:The current prevalence of psychological distress in Chinese AYAs with cancer was 83.4%. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that gender, age, educational level, marriage, monthly income, exercise intensity, cancer classifications, treatments, self-control, confrontation, avoidance, and subjective support were all associated with distress. AYA cancer patients who were female, younger, or divorced or had a lower monthly income, education level, or exercise intensity were more likely to have higher level of distress. Compared to AYAs with other cancer classifications, patients with digestive system malignancies, breast cancers, and head and neck malignancies had a higher prevalence of distress. Patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy were more likely to be distressed. The higher the self-control, confrontation, avoidance, and subjective support scores were, the lower the prevalence of distress was among AYA cancer patients.Conclusions:The prevalence of psychological distress in AYA cancer patients was relatively high. Potential interventions targeting exercise intensity, character strengths, medical coping, and social support may decrease the prevalence of psychological distress in this patient population.

Prevalence of caregiving and high caregiving strain among late-career medical school faculty members: workforce, policy, and faculty development implications

BackgroundNearly one-third of medical school faculty members are age 55 + . As our population ages, the prevalence of family caregiving is increasing, yet we know very little about the caregiving experiences of aging faculty members in academic medicine. Faculty caregiving responsibilities coupled with projected physician shortages will likely impact the future academic medical workforce. We examined the prevalence of caregiving, concomitant caregiving strain, general well-being, and thoughts about retirement for medical school faculty members age 55 and older.MethodsWe analyzed data from a survey of 2,126 full-time medical school faculty 55 + years of age conducted in 2017. Chi-square tests of independence and independent samples t-tests were used to examine statistical differences between subgroups.ResultsOf the 5,204 faculty members invited to complete the parent survey, 40.8% participated (N = 2126). Most were male (1425; 67.2%), White (1841; 88.3%), and married/partnered (1803; 85.5%). The mean age was 62.3 years. Of this sample, 19.0% (n = 396) reported providing care on an on-going basis to a family member, friend, or neighbor with a chronic illness or disability, including 22.4% (n = 154) of the female respondents and 17.3% (n = 242) of the male respondents. Among the caregiving faculty members, 90.2% reported experiencing some or a lot of mental or emotional strain from caregiving. Caregivers gave lower ratings of health, social and emotional support, and quality of life, but greater comfort in religion or spirituality than non-caregivers. Both caregiving and non-caregiving faculty members estimated retiring from full-time employment at age 67.8, on average.ConclusionThese data highlight caregiving responsibilities and significant concomitant mental or emotional strain of a significant proportion of U.S. medical schools’ rapidly aging workforce. Human resource and faculty development leaders in academia should strategically invest in policies, programs, and resources to meet these growing workforce needs.

The influence of interpersonal relationships on school adaptation among Chinese university students during COVID-19 control period: Multiple mediating roles of social support and resilience

BackgroundOwing to the government's effective epidemic control measures, universities in some areas of China gradually resumed offline teaching six months after the COVID-19 outbreak. Although attention should now be paid to the experiences of students after they returned to campus, few studies have explored the factors and mechanisms that have influenced these students’ school adaptation. The present study investigated the multiple roles of social support and resilience in mediating associations the relationship between Chinese university students’ interpersonal relationships and their school adaptation during COVID-19 control period. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 4534 Chinese university students (Mage = 19.70, SD = 1.14) at two universities in Jiangxi provinces. The independent variable was interpersonal relationships; mediating variables were social support and resilience; and the dependent variable was school adaptation. Multiple mediation analysis was performed using the MPlus software. ResultsControlling for demographic variables, the quality of students’ interpersonal relationships was significantly and positively related to their school adaptation, with students’ ratings of social support and resilience mediating these associations. More interestingly, social support and resilience played multiple mediating roles in the relationship between interpersonal relationships and school adaptation. LimitationsThe age stage of the sample and the methods in which the data were collected may affect the generalizability of the results. ConclusionsDuring COVID-19 control period, interpersonal relationships can influence school adaptation either directly or indirectly by enhancing social support or resilience (parallel mediation) or by activating resilience via the experience of social support (serial mediation). This study's results emphasize the role of interpersonal relationships, as well as the contributions of positive external and internal factors on students’ school adaptation during the epidemic control period. Accordingly, these findings may have implications for the mental health education of college students in the post-epidemic era.

Can a brief assessment of social support predict outcomes after bariatric surgery?

Social support is important to optimize bariatric surgery outcomes, but limited tools exist for brief and effective assessment preoperatively. The aims of the study were to determine the extent to which two ratings of social support can predict bariatric surgery outcomes, and to examine any associations between these two methods.In this retrospective study, patients were included for whom the Cleveland clinic behavioral rating system (CCBRS) and Flanagan quality of life scale (FQoLS) scores were obtained as part of their preoperative psychosocial evaluation. They were followed up for 6 to 24 months after bariatric surgery. Linear and logistic regressions were performed with patients' CCBRS and FQoLS scores as independent variables, and percent excess weight loss (%EWL), length of stay (LOS), complications, readmissions and loss to follow-up as dependent variables. The prediction of CCBRS ratings from FQoLS social support items was also evaluated. A total of 415 patients were included in the analysis. There were significant associations between the CCBRS and three of the four relevant FQoLS self-ratings. As CCBRS and FQoLS scores increased, complications decreased significantly. The CCBRS alone additionally predicted decreased length of hospital stay and approached significance for predicting decreased readmission rates. There were no associations between %EWL and behavior ratings. The degree of patients' social support is associated with important bariatric surgery outcomes. It is possible to obtain this valuable information via the administration of brief assessments prior to bariatric surgery.

Annoying symptoms and social support in patients with cancer

AimTo find out how the burden associated with experiencing symptoms affects the degree of social support and the incidence of depression in patients with cancer. DesignCross-sectional study. Methods100 patients (47 women and 53 men) diagnosed with cancer, at different stages of disease severity, were involved in the study.We used the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) to assess symptom survival. The scale assesses 32 symptoms in three sub-scales (physical, psychological, symptoms, total distress). To assess social assistance we used the SELSA range, containing 20 items, divided into 3 sub-categories – social relationships, family relationships, partnerships. To assess the survival of sadness and more serious symptoms of depression, we used a range of depression – CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale). ResultsThe results show that with a higher incidence of troublesome symptoms patients are more likely to suffer on the one hand from depression and, on the other hand, from lower levels of social support in individual domains. The greatest degree of linear dependence is observed between the occurrence of psychological symptoms and the family domain in the SELSA scale (0.470), the occurrence of psychological symptoms and the overall rate of social support (0.456). ConclusionThe results of the study correspond with the conclusions of several studies showing that the occurrence of symptom-aggravating symptoms of patients with oncological disease significantly affects the degree of social support from individual members of the family. For nurses in clinical practice, the assessment of harrowing symptoms using scales can serve to plan and implement effective interventions to promote the quality of life of patients with oncological and other infectious diseases.

Family Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure: An Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model.

Adherence to self-care behaviors improves outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF). Caregivers play an important role in contributing to self-care. We aimed to explore the relationships among HF knowledge, perceived control, social support, and family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF, based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Two hundred forty-seven dyads of eligible patients with HF and family caregivers were recruited from a general hospital in China. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data obtained with the Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure Index, the Heart Failure Knowledge Test, the Control Attitudes Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale. In this model, caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance was positively affected by perceived control (β = .148, P = .015) and caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .293, P < .001). Caregiver contribution to self-care management was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .270, P < .001), perceived control (β = .140, P = .007), social support (β = .123, P = .019), caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .328, P < .001), and caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance (β = .148, P = .006). Caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .334, P < .001). Heart failure knowledge, perceived control, and social support facilitated family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF. Targeted interventions that consider these variables may effectively improve family caregiver contributions to self-care.

A Prevalence Study of Psychosocial Distress in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer.

Psychosocial distress is common among cancer patients. Significant associations between coping and social support with distress and quality of life in adult cancer patients have been identified before, but little is known about the interrelationships between distress, medical coping, and social support in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The aims of this study are to investigate the prevalence of psychological distress in Chinese AYAs with cancer and examine the associations among distress, anxiety and depression, medical coping, and social support in the same population. A total of 610 AYA patients were recruited for this study; 551 patients completed the Chinese version of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer (DT), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and the Social Support Rating Scale. The prevalence of psychological distress was 89.1% in Chinese AYAs with cancer. The DT scores were the highest in the 21- to 25-year-old patients; the DT scores were positively correlated with anxiety and depression (P < .01) but negatively correlated with medical coping and social support (P < .01). The prevalence of psychological distress in AYA cancer patients was higher than that in the general cancer population. Medical coping and social support can lower the prevalence of psychological distress in AYA cancer patients. Findings suggest the need for evidence-based intervention strategies to enhance medical coping and social support in AYA cancer patients. Nurses are crucial to implementing psychological interventions in AYA cancer patients.

Apoyo social y sentido de comunidad en desplazados y damnificados en el departamento del Magdalena

En esta investigación se correlacionan las variables sentido de comunidad y apoyo social, en un grupo de 136 personas en situación de desplazamiento por la violencia; y víctimas de desastres de la ola invernal del 2010-2011 en el departamento del Magdalena. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron, la Escala de Sentido de Comunidad y el Cuestionario de apoyo social - MOS (Estudio de Desenlaces Médicos de Apoyo Social) adaptado para Colombia. Para el análisis de los datos, los grupos se dividieron en dos: el primero con 48 hombres entre 26 y 89 años (media de 57 años) y 36 mujeres entre 23 y 87 años (media de 55 años). En el segundo grupo participaron 44 hombres entre 25 y 91 años (media de 58 años) y 8 mujeres entre 23 a 49 años (media de 36 años). En cuanto al índice de sentido de comunidad se halló que el nivel es medio-alto (m=53,42), con el apoyo social se encontró que el índice general de apoyo social es alto (87,41). Como resultado dio una relación débil, positiva con un coeficiente de correlación 0,27 y significativa (valor P de 0,01). Se concluye que las dos variables interactúan entre sí pero con una débil relación.

Perceived Social Support and Stress among Pregnant Women at Health Centers of Iran- Tabriz.

Social support is considered the interaction between the person and environment, which reduces stressors, covers the effects of stress and consequently protects individuals from the harmful effects of stressful situations. This study aimed to determine social support in pregnant women and its relationship with the rate of pregnant women's perceived stress at health centers of Tabriz in 2012-13. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 450 pregnant women selected through cluster sampling. Data collection tools consisted of a demographic questionnaire, interpersonal support evaluation list (ISEL) and perceived stress questionnaire (PSS) that were completed in an interview. The range of obtainable score for social support and perceived stress was 0-90 and 0-30, respectively. Descriptive and analytical statistics including Pearson and Independent t-test were used for analyzing the data. The mean score of social support and perceived stress in pregnant women was 96.6 (14.6), and 11.5 (5.5), respectively .The women with favorable social support had significantly less stress than the women with unfavorable social support. The study finding showed that the rate of social support in highly stressful women is significantly less than low-stress mothers. Therefore, considering adverse effects of the stress on pregnancy outcomes, some strategies should be designed and implemented in order to strengthen and improve the social support for pregnant women so that it can reduce the rate of pregnant women's stress.