title: [The effect of social support on the symptoms of depression experienced by Portuguese patients with multiple sclerosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of depressive symptoms is high among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite being associated with low levels of social support, few studies showing the importance of the buffer effect on depressive symptoms. The aim is to analyze the effect of social support on depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample is composed by 150 MS consecutive patients attending the MS Outpatient Clinic of Hospital S. Joao, Porto, that gave written consent; illiterate subjects were excluded. The disease parameters, as duration, clinical course and disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale) were collected in the clinical protocols. In the comparison of socio-demographic variables and parameters with the depressive symptoms we used the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H. In interferential analysis we used the MLR with stepwise selection of variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, education emotional social support, disability, duration of illness and the primary and secondary forms determine together 42.4% of depressive symptoms. Gender, marital status, be unskilled worker, have material social support and relapsing- remitting form does not determine any change in depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The emotional social support is a predictor of depressive symptoms. This study reinforces the need for professionals to be sources of social support in promoting programs that reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Sao Joao, 4200-351 Porto, Portugal. dcac.costa@gmail.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Calheiros
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011174:Portugal; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult