title: Social support and change in health-related quality of life 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We determined whether perceived social support predicted change in health-related quality of life, operationalized as change in mental health and physical functioning, 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort of 1164 patients undergoing first CABG was interviewed prior to hospital discharge and 6 months later. Perceived instrumental and emotional support were assessed predischarge. Change in mental health and physical functioning was calculated as the difference between 6-month and predischarge SF-36 subscale scores. Stepwise linear regression analyses controlling for prior health-related quality of life, demographics, and clinical presentation were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1072 (1072/1164=92%) participants completed the 6-month interview; mean age 65.7 (+/-11.1) years. Frequent instrumental support predicted positive change in mental health (beta=3.27, P=.02); change scores were higher when participants had low pre-CABG mental health. Neither social support variable predicted change in physical functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessing perceived instrumental support may help clinicians predict post-CABG mental health. More research regarding this relationship is needed before recommending intervention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. lisa.barry@yale.edu
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Stanislav V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kasl
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lichtman
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vaccarino
authors.forename: Harlan M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Krumholz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires