142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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304187
Family Support, Sense of Control, & Self-Rated Health in Adults with Chronic Diseases: A Mediation Analysis

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Lisa Acuff, M.S. , Department of Public Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Jennifer M. Jabson, PhD, MPH , Department of Public Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Background: Chronic diseases represent the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, affecting nearly 50% of U.S. adults.  Family support and sense of control foster optimal health with chronic disease; however, the relationship between these psychosocial factors remains unclear.  Clarifying this association could inform interventions and lead to improved health for people with chronic diseases.  This study tests the relationships between family support, sense of control, and self-rated physical health in middle-aged adults living with chronic disease in the United States.

Methods: This study used data from individuals reporting any chronic disease in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) II (N=3133) to test sense of control as a mediator of the association between family support and self-rated physical health. Multiple linear regression determined mediation effects, and the Sobel test evaluated the statistical significance. 

Results: Among those having any chronic disease, family support related to self-rated physical health (b = 0.21, 95% CI = .14, .26), and sense of control partially mediated this association (b = .07, 95% CI = .007, .13).  Similarly, among those with two or more chronic diseases, family support related to self-rated physical health (b = .21, 95% CI = .14, .28), and sense of control partially mediated this association (b = .06, 95% CI = -.01, .13).

Conclusion: Families are uniquely situated to support chronic disease care, leading to positive health outcomes.  Our study suggests sense of control may mediate the relationship between family support and self-rated physical health. 

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the role of sense of control in the relationship between family support and self-rated health.

Keyword(s): Chronic Disease Management and Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator and conceived of this study under the close supervision of my faculty adviser. Additionally, I have graduate training in research methods and am a doctoral student receiving training in psychosocial health factors and chronic disease management.
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.

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