title: Social support network, mental health and quality of life: a cross-sectional study in primary care.
abstract: The objective of this study was to identify the association between emotional distress and social support networks with quality of life in primary care patients. This was a cross-sectional study involving 1,466 patients in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2009/2010. The General Health Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument were used. The Social Support Network Index classified patients with the highest and lowest index as socially integrated or isolated. A bivariate analysis and four multiple linear regressions were conducted for each quality of life outcome. The means scores for the physical, psychological, social relations, and environment domains were, respectively, 64.7; 64.2; 68.5 and 49.1. In the multivariate analysis, the psychological domain was negatively associated with isolation, whereas the social relations and environment domains were positively associated with integration. Integration and isolation proved to be important factors for those in emotional distress as they minimize or maximize negative effects on quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brasil.
authors.forename: Flávia Batista
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Portugal
authors.affiliation: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mônica Rodrigues
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Celina Ragoni
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daniel Almeida
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dinarte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ballester
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luis Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tófoli
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jair de Jesus
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gask
authors.affiliation: University of Liverpool, Liverpool, U.K.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dowrick
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fortes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors