The association between perceived social support and health among patients at a free urban clinic
- PMID: 19331256
- DOI: 10.1016/s0027-9684(15)30852-x
The association between perceived social support and health among patients at a free urban clinic
Abstract
Objective: This study examines the association between perceived social support and the prevalence of physical and mental health conditions among adult patients of an urban free medical clinic.
Methods: Patients (n = 289) completed a health risk assessment (HRA) questionnaire that addressed a number of medical and social issues, including perceived social support and whether patients had been told they had certain health conditions. Among these questions were 2 validated instruments: the PRIME-MD for mental health disorder assessment and CAGE for alcohol risk assessment. A deidentified database of responses was analyzed for statistical associations between perceived social support and these health conditions.
Results: Among those with insufficient perceived social support there were higher rates of having physician-measured overweight/obesity, a heart condition, a previous heart attack, anxiety, and depression. The association between perceived social support and cardiovascular health existed among women but not among men. Higher income, not smoking, and consumption of high-fiber foods were associated with sufficient social support.
Conclusion: Perceiving sufficient social support was associated with lower rates of several mental and physical health disorders. Social support may act as a barrier or buffer to poor health caused by the stressful living conditions often experienced by low-income underinsured people. Males and females may experience this social support buffering differently.
Similar articles
-
The health status of patients of a student-run free medical clinic in inner-city Buffalo, NY.J Am Board Fam Med. 2007 Nov-Dec;20(6):572-80. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2007.06.070036. J Am Board Fam Med. 2007. PMID: 17954865
-
The association between perceived interpersonal social support and physical and mental health: results from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.J Public Health (Oxf). 2010 Jun;32(2):191-201. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdp093. Epub 2009 Oct 28. J Public Health (Oxf). 2010. PMID: 19864495 Free PMC article.
-
Correlates of perceived difficulty in potentially disclosing HIV-positive test results: a study of low-income women attending an urban clinic.Sex Health. 2005;2(2):103-7. doi: 10.1071/sh04044. Sex Health. 2005. PMID: 16335747
-
Patients utilizing a free clinic: physical and mental health, health literacy, and social support.J Community Health. 2013 Aug;38(4):716-23. doi: 10.1007/s10900-013-9669-x. J Community Health. 2013. PMID: 23463329
-
[Social support and mental health: concept, measures, recent studies as well as implications for clinicians].Sante Ment Que. 2005 Autumn;30(2):15-41. doi: 10.7202/012137ar. Sante Ment Que. 2005. PMID: 16505923 Review. French.
Cited by 8 articles
-
Depressive Symptoms Among Police Officers: Associations with Personality and Psychosocial Factors.J Police Crim Psychol. 2019 Mar;34(1):66-77. doi: 10.1007/s11896-018-9281-1. Epub 2018 Jun 7. J Police Crim Psychol. 2019. PMID: 31031522 Free PMC article.
-
Race and Sex Differences in Correlates of Systolic Blood Pressure in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.J Health Dispar Res Pract. 2014;7(4):32-50. J Health Dispar Res Pract. 2014. PMID: 26779393 Free PMC article.
-
Social support buffering of the relation between low income and elevated blood pressure in at-risk African-American adults.J Behav Med. 2015 Oct;38(5):830-4. doi: 10.1007/s10865-015-9656-z. Epub 2015 Jul 9. J Behav Med. 2015. PMID: 26156119 Free PMC article.
-
Social relationships and longitudinal changes in body mass index and waist circumference: the coronary artery risk development in young adults study.Am J Epidemiol. 2014 Mar 1;179(5):567-75. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwt311. Epub 2014 Jan 3. Am J Epidemiol. 2014. PMID: 24389018 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Childhood maternal support and social capital moderate the regulatory impact of social relationships in adulthood.Int J Psychophysiol. 2013 Jun;88(3):224-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.04.006. Epub 2013 Apr 29. Int J Psychophysiol. 2013. PMID: 23639347 Free PMC article.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
-
Full Text Sources
-
Other Literature Sources
-
Medical