The impact of social support on living with heart failure

This descriptive correlational study explored the relationship between perceived social support and perceptions of illness for individuals living with New York Heart Association Class Two or Class Three congestive heart failure. A total of 34 participants were interviewed at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ambulatory Heart Failure Clinic. Participants completed three questionnaires, which included a demographic questionnaire, a social support questionnaire (PRQ-85/Part Two), and the Meaning of Illness Questionnaire (MOIQ). Results indicated that subjects perceived their social support to be high. Perceived social support was seen to account for 24% of the variance in MOIQ Factor 3 (degree of stress, change in commitments, and secondary coping resources to deal with it), and 11% of the variance in MOIQ Factor 2 (type of stress, negative attitude of harm, loss or threat, and viewing the illness as disabling, disfiguring and deteriorating). Content analysis revealed six major themes which described the subjects' feelings about how heart failure had affected their lives. The themes that were elicited were: physical limitations, surprise and disbelief, a need for knowledge, adjustment, support from significant others, and getting in touch with one's spirituality. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)