Social Support and Depression among Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

Abstract

This study considered the role of social support in mitigating depression among bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients. Eighty-six BMT patients completed the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS) and the Centers for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D) before transplant and again at one year posttransplant. Results showed moderate levels of depressive symptoms in BMT patients, with 29.1 percent and 27.6 percent meeting the suggested criterion for clinical depression at pre-BMT and one year post-BMT, respectively. Overall, patients experienced a reduced level of depression post-BMT, although females reported more depression than males. Social support pre-BMT predicted depression levels post-BMT controlling for initial levels of depression. Clinical implications for health care providers working with cancer patients and their families are discussed.