title: The relationship between social support and quality of life in patients with heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the level of social support and quality of life in heart failure patients, and to examine their relationship with perceived social support and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study was carried out in the cardiology outpatient units of two university hospitals in Izmir, Turkey, between January and September 2010. Using convenience sampling the study comprised 150 patients who were assessed on the 12-point Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the 36-point Left Ventricular Dysfunction Scale. Data were analysed through SPSS 15, using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total scores for each variable are as follows: perceived social support (49.34 +/- 17.57), perceived social support from family (24.25 +/- 6.17), perceived social support from friends (12.75 +/- 8.16) and perceived social support from others (12.33 +/- 7.81). The mean quality of life score was 69.25 +/- 23.12. There was a moderately significant negative correlation between the scores of the two scales employed by the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of life of the patients improved with increasing social support. Determining and improving family and other social support for heart failure patients should be an essential part of nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Nursing, Inciralti, lzmir, Turkey. canan.demir@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Canan Demir
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Barutcu
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support