Depressed Mood and Social Support as Predictors of Quality of Life in Women Receiving Home Health Care

• Published in: Quality of life research 2005-10, Vol.14 (8), p.1925-1929
• Main Authors: Lois C. Friedman, Brown, Anthony E., Catherine Romero, Mario F. Dulay, Peterson, Leif E., Paula Wehrman, Deborah J. Whisnand, Larry Laufman, Lomax, James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brief Communications; Chronic diseases; Churches; Depression; Depressive disorders; Emotional states; Emotional support; Female; Home care services; Home Care Services - utilization; Home health care; Humans; Middle Aged; Older adults; Poverty; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Social Support; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Texas; Wellbeing; Womens health
• ISSN: 0962-9343; 1573-2649
• DOI: 10.1007/s11136-005-4326-1

We examined relationships among depressed mood, social support and quality of life in 58 medically ill low-income women 40 years and older receiving home health care. Analyses showed a negative relationship between depressed mood and quality of life (p's ≤ 0.05). Positive relationships were found between number of people available for support and two of three quality of life domains as well as satisfaction with support and all three domains (p's ≤ 0.05). Results also provided preliminary support that belonging to a church is related to emotional well-being (p = 0.039) and among those belonging to a church, recent increased activity was related to social/family well-being (p = 0.004). Mediational analyses revealed a cycle of depressed mood, dissatisfaction with social support, and loss of social support providers underlying the poor quality of life of many participants. This highlights the need to address the relationship between depression and social support when treating patients with chronic illness.