Heart Attacks and Social Support
Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) — Women are in greater need of social support in the critical year after a heart attack than men, new research shows.
The study of 2,411 people treated for heart attacks at 19 U.S. medical centers found that both men and women who received the least support from health personnel, families and friends did worse on a variety of measures, according to the report in the March issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, which is a theme issue on women and cardiovascular disease.
“We were looking at a number of outcomes that are important for individuals, rather than just whether they die or remain hospitalized,” said Judith Lichtman, associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, a leader of the study. “We saw that lack of social support inhibits quality of life.”
Men and women with the lowest level of social support had a higher risk of chest pain, worse mental functioning and more symptoms of depression. But the association between social support and general health was stronger for women than for men, she added.
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