VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
Rehabil Psychol. 2014 May;59(2):230-5. doi: 10.1037/a0036312. Epub 2014 Apr 14.
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms among family caregivers of veterans with multiple sclerosis (MS). A secondary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver perceived social support and caregiver demographic variables, veteran health-related variables, and caregiver depressive symptoms.
RESEARCH METHOD/DESIGN: As part of a larger study, 42 family caregivers of veterans with MS completed questionnaires by telephone. Hierarchical regression was used to examine the relationship between caregiver depressive symptoms and perceived social support.
Greater MS disease severity and poorer overall veteran health were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among caregivers. Caregiver perceived social support was associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for veterans' MS disease severity and overall physical health.
CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Psychosocial interventions aimed at enhancing social support among caregivers of veterans with MS in multiple life domains, such as work, finances, housing, social life, marriage, and family, may be important for family caregiver mood management, particularly as MS disease severity increases.
本研究的主要目的是探讨多发性硬化症（MS）退伍军人的家庭照顾者感知社会支持与抑郁症状之间的关系。本研究的次要目的是探讨照顾者感知社会支持与照顾者人口统计学变量、退伍军人健康相关变量和照顾者抑郁症状之间的关系。
研究方法/设计：作为一项更大研究的一部分，42 名多发性硬化症退伍军人的家庭照顾者通过电话完成了问卷调查。采用分层回归分析来检验照顾者抑郁症状与感知社会支持之间的关系。
MS 疾病严重程度较高和退伍军人整体健康状况较差与照顾者抑郁症状水平较高有关。在控制退伍军人 MS 疾病严重程度和整体身体健康状况后，照顾者感知社会支持与抑郁症状相关。
结论/意义：针对多发性硬化症退伍军人家庭照顾者在工作、财务、住房、社会生活、婚姻和家庭等多个生活领域增强社会支持的心理社会干预措施可能对家庭照顾者的情绪管理很重要，尤其是随着 MS 疾病严重程度的增加。
