title: Gender, health ambiguity, and depression among survivors of first stroke: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between health ambiguity and depressive symptoms among stroke survivors and whether survivor gender moderates this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey study.
  
  
  METHODS
  General community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survivors of first stroke (N=36) recruited through provider referral, support groups, and print and Web-based sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Health ambiguity (β=.984, P<.001), gender (β=1.010, P<.01), and the interaction of the 2 variables (β=-1.269, P<.05) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Simple slopes tests indicated that the association between health ambiguity and depressive symptoms was stronger for male versus female survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender and health ambiguity impact survivor depressive symptoms, independently and in conjunction with one another. Results are promising, and further research with larger samples and more comprehensive statistical models is needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA. mccarml@ucmail.uc.edu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Laurie E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D035501:Uncertainty