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Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lett, HS; Blumenthal, JA; Babyak, MA; Strauman, TJ; Robins, C; Sherwood, A
Published in: Psychosom Med
2005

OBJECTIVE: The present paper reviews theories of social support and evidence for the role of social support in the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: Articles for the primary review of social support as a risk factor were identified with MEDLINE (1966-2004) and PsychINFO (1872-2004). Reviews of bibliographies also were used to identify relevant articles. RESULTS: In general, evidence suggests that low social support confers a risk of 1.5 to 2.0 in both healthy populations and in patients with established CHD. However, there is substantial variability in the manner in which social support is conceptualized and measured. In addition, few studies have simultaneously compared differing types of support. CONCLUSIONS: Although low levels of support are associated with increased risk for CHD events, it is not clear what types of support are most associated with clinical outcomes in healthy persons and CHD patients. The development of a consensus in the conceptualization and measurement of social support is needed to examine which types of support are most likely to be associated with adverse CHD outcomes. There also is little evidence that improving low social support reduces CHD events.

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Published In

Psychosom Med

DOI

EISSN

1534-7796

Publication Date

2005

Volume

67

Issue

6

Start / End Page

869 / 878

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Terminology as Topic
  • Social Support
  • Social Class
  • Risk Factors
  • Psychological Theory
  • Psychiatry
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prognosis
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Male
 

Citation

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Lett, H. S., Blumenthal, J. A., Babyak, M. A., Strauman, T. J., Robins, C., & Sherwood, A. (2005). Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment. Psychosom Med, 67(6), 869–878. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000188393.73571.0a
Lett, Heather S., James A. Blumenthal, Michael A. Babyak, Timothy J. Strauman, Clive Robins, and Andrew Sherwood. “Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment.Psychosom Med 67, no. 6 (2005): 869–78. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000188393.73571.0a.
Lett HS, Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Strauman TJ, Robins C, Sherwood A. Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment. Psychosom Med. 2005;67(6):869–78.
Lett, Heather S., et al. “Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment.Psychosom Med, vol. 67, no. 6, 2005, pp. 869–78. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000188393.73571.0a.
Lett HS, Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Strauman TJ, Robins C, Sherwood A. Social support and coronary heart disease: epidemiologic evidence and implications for treatment. Psychosom Med. 2005;67(6):869–878.

Published In

Psychosom Med

DOI

EISSN

1534-7796

Publication Date

2005

Volume

67

Issue

6

Start / End Page

869 / 878

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Terminology as Topic
  • Social Support
  • Social Class
  • Risk Factors
  • Psychological Theory
  • Psychiatry
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prognosis
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Male