256922 Chronic disease, social support and emotional distress: Does chronic disease increase emotional distress in older adults and does social support provide a buffer to this relationship?

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 10:30 AM - 10:42 AM

Katherine E. Meyer, MPP, MA , Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Bethesda, MD
Kathleen A. Cagney, PhD , Department of Sociology & Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
  
RATIONALE: The elderly population in the US is estimated to reach 70 million by 2030. The prevalence of chronic disease increases with age, and research has shown that chronic disease is associated with emotional distress. The purpose of this analysis is to examine the relationship between chronic conditions and emotional distress, and whether social support provides a buffer effect.

METHODS: The National Social, Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) interviewed a nationally representative sample of elderly adults from 2005-2006 (n =3005; 75.5%response rate). All respondents were administered questions on emotional health and morbidity. An emotional distress composite scale was constructed, with count and categorical variables. Using logistic regression analyses, we estimated the extent to which chronic disease predicts emotional distress, evaluating social support as a moderator.

RESULTS: Prevalence of any chronic disease in this population was 72.5% and prevalence of emotional distress was 40%. The presence of chronic disease significantly increased the odds of elderly adults reporting emotional distress: arthritis (OR=1.52,p<.001), hypertension (OR=1.39,p<.001), hypertension and arthritis (OR=1.58,p<.001), arthritis and obesity (OR=1.60,p<.001), and multiple chronic diseases (OR=1.78,p<.001). Both spousal (OR=.433,p<.001) and family support (OR=.517,p<.001) provided a buffer.

CONCLUSION: Elderly individuals with chronic disease experienced higher levels of emotional distress, but social support provided a buffer. Practical implications include implementing emotional distress and social support screenings at primary care visits to improve mental health service referrals. Future research assessing the continuum of chronic disease and emotional distress is needed to enhance the literature, which is lacking as this population continues to grow.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1) Explain the relationship between chronic disease and emotional distress and whether social support provides a buffer to this relationship. 2) Differentiate the relationship between the type of chronic disease and emotional distress as well as type of buffering social support. 3) Discuss the implications of study findings for practice, and how potential health services screenings could be provided to assess emotional distress. 4) Formulate hypotheses for future research examining this relationship.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Quality of Life

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have six years of research experience in the fields of psychology, epidemiology and public health at prestigious institutions. Additionally, my educational background in public policy and social service administration have supplemented my knowledge of econometrics and public health research. Further, in my current position, I have experience with qualitative and quantitative analysis, data collection, and the development of research designs on projects that focus on public health, rural health and health care.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4080.0: Healthcare Outcomes and Quality of Life