ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Rownok Jahan*, Anisur Rahman, Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Ashiqur Rahman and Mohammad Abdullah Al Manjur

ABSTRACT

Background: Major depression following myocardial infarction is generally persistent. Certain behaviors and social characteristics may also contribute to the progression of recovery of coronary disease. Little is known about the proportion of depressive symptoms and role of social support on depressive symptoms in our country. Aims: Assessing the role of social support in depressive symptoms following six weeks from acute myocardial infarction. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among purposively selected 158 myocardial infarction patients from four hospitals in Bangladesh. Social support was measured by 5 emotional social support scales from the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD). Depressive symptoms were measured by the 9-item Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patients Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Results: Proportion of mild or no depression was 56.3%, whereas major or moderately severe depression was 43.7% among respondents and proportion of low social support was 80.4%, whereas moderate social support was 19.6% and no respondent found with high social support which was unlikely to our country prospect. Duration of myocardial infarction was correlated with depressive symptoms score(r=-0.175, p= 0.027) & was not correlated with social support score. Major depressive symptoms were greater among women (p=<0.001), age above 60 (p=<0.001), single respondents (p=<0.001) and those having low social support (p=0.001).Depressive symptoms scores were higher among recurrent myocardial infarction (p=<0.001) and low social support (p=<0.001) patient. Conclusion: This relationship between social support and depressive symptoms projects that depression always be taken into consideration for effective management and compliance of post myocardial infarction patient.

Keywords: Depression, Social support, Depressive symptoms, Myocardial infarction.