title: Predicting depressive symptoms and self-care in patients with heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine relationships among heart failure (HF) physical symptoms, social support, social problem-solving, depressive symptoms, and self-care behaviors in outpatients with HF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were collected from 201 outpatients. Structural equation modeling was used in this preliminary analysis to examine the relationships among the study variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HF physical symptoms and social support were predictors of depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors. Social problem-solving also predicted self-care behaviors. Social support mediated the relationship between HF physical symptoms and depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social support may influence depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors, whereas social problem-solving may impact self-care behaviors. Future research should examine causality and sub-components of social problem-solving on these outcome variables.
authors.affiliation: Florida State University College of Nursing, Tallahassee, FL, USA. lgraven@fsu.edu.
authors.forename: Lucinda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Graven
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Joan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Erica R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Pryor
authors.affiliation: Florida State University College of Nursing, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grubbs
authors.affiliation: Florida State University College of Nursing, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karioth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D011340:Problem Solving; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support