Interface between social support, quality of life and depression in users eligible for palliative care

Abstract

Abstract OBJECTIVE Analyzing the relationship between social support, quality of life and depression in patients eligible for palliative care at Primary Health Care of a municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHOD A correlational cross-sectional study carried out with patients treated in six primary health care units. Data were submitted to descriptive statistical analysis, tests for differences between averages and medians, and correlation tests. The significance level was 0.05. RESULTS The sample consisted of 115 participants, and it was identified that the higher the social support, the better the global quality of life (p<0.001) and functional quality of life (p=0.035); the greater the presence of physical symptoms, the lower the level of social support (p=0.012) and the higher the level of depression (p<0.001); the higher the symptoms of depression, the worse the global quality of life (p<0.001), functional quality of life (p<0.001) and the lower the levels of social support (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Levels of quality of life, social support and depression of patients eligible for palliative care are influenced by socioeconomic factors such as marital status, gender, age, income, education and presence of a caregiver.