The role of social support in the experience of life with ischemic heart disease for socially disadvantaged patients: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives Ischemic heart disease (IHD) displays wide social inequalities that are often explained with reference to lifestyle factors. However, research indicates that social support may also play an important role in social inequality in IHD. This study aims to explore the role of social support in the experience of life with IHD for socially disadvantaged patients. Methods The study was conducted as a critical hermeneutic qualitative study in Denmark between October 2018 and August 2019. Data consist of in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 socially disadvantaged patients with IHD. Results The findings showed a notable difference between the participants who were engaged in close and supportive social relationships and those who were not. Life with IHD for those who lacked supportive relationships tended to be marked by feelings of chaos, powerlessness and meaninglessness. Contrarily, those who were engaged in supportive relationships received help to navigate their life with illness, reconcile with what had happened to them, feel empowered, and gain a sense of meaning in their life. Discussion: Social support from close social relationships appears to be crucial for socially disadvantaged ischemic heart patients, and should be encouraged and facilitated in healthcare and interventions targeting this patient group.

Social relationship influence on self‐care and health among older people living with long term conditions: A mixed‐methods study

“…While tangible support was largely emphasised in describing social network influences on health, telephone communication was an important technology that offered access to psycho-social and tangible support that was reciprocal, easily accessible and a reliable way of integrating social contact frequency. Consistent with other qualitative studies, findings from these interviews emphasised social relationships influence on health, contextual influences in everyday life and fluctuations overtime in how relationships influence health (Rasmussen et al, 2021;Sriram et al, 2018).…”

Understanding social inequality in ischemic heart disease from a psychosocial perspective: A qualitative study of the influence of psychosocial factors on socially disadvantaged patients' lived experience of life with ischemic heart disease

“…Even though the participants were sampled to have a limited access to social support, the findings of the study showed that some of the participants did receive important support from a few close and caring relationships (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a). The findings showed a notable difference in how the participants lived with their illness depending on whether they had supportive social relationships or not (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a).…”

“…Simonÿ et al (2018)propose a table that may be used to illustrate examples of the structural analysis. This table is included in article 1 and 3 (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a;Rasmussen, Petersen, et al, 2021) Furthermore, below Table 3 shows an example of the structural analysis across the whole dataset. In this kappa and in the articles, the structural analysis is presented in the Findings section.…”

“…The way in which the sample is described differs among the three articles. In the articles reporting on sub-study 1 and 2, the sample is termed "patients who are socially disadvantaged" (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021b, 2021a and in the article reporting on sub-study 3, the sample is referred to as "patients with a low socioeconomic status and lack of flexible resources" (Rasmussen, Pedersen, et al, 2021). This difference was a product of the reviewers' different requests.…”

“…Sub-study 1 explored the role of social support from close social relationships in socially disadvantaged patients' lived experience of life with ischemic heart disease (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a). Even though the participants were sampled to have a limited access to social support, the findings of the study showed that some of the participants did receive important support from a few close and caring relationships (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a). The findings showed a notable difference in how the participants lived with their illness depending on whether they had supportive social relationships or not (Rasmussen, Guise, et al, 2021a).…”