title: Effects of social support and stressful life events on health-related quality of life in coronary artery disease patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine the effects of social support and stressful life events on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred sixty consecutive patients with CAD attending cardiac rehabilitation program were invited to participate in the study. Data on stressful life events, perceived social support, and HRQoL were collected from the self-administered questionnaires, Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and 36-Item Short Form Medical Outcome Questionnaire, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In male patients, multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that physical domains of the HRQoL, specifically physical functioning, were associated with clinical aspects of the CAD, such as New York Heart Association class and angina pectoris class, and psychological domains of the HRQoL such as mental health, energy/vitality, and social functioning were associated with social characteristics such as stressful life events and perceived social support. In women, both physical and psychological domains of the HRQoL were associated only with social characteristics, especially with perceived social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived social support and stressful life events have independent significant effects on the HRQoL in CAD patients, especially in female patients. When planning cardiac rehabilitation programs, special attention should be paid to patients who experience high levels of stress and have low social support.
authors: Institute of Psychophysiology and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Palanga.
authors: Margarita
authors: M
authors: Staniute
authors: Julija
authors: J
authors: Brozaitiene
authors: Robertas
authors: R
authors: Bunevicius
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support