Satisfaction and Adherence in a Social Support Intervention Among Women with Congestive Heart Failure

Patient satisfaction is a significant predictor of adherence to medical interventions. However, limited research has evaluated patient satisfaction as a predictor of adherence to a social support intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate satisfaction as a predictor of adherence to a social support therapy intervention for women with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). CHF is a debilitating disease characterized by the heart’s inability to pump sufficient blood to the body. The study also examined the relationship of satisfaction to changes in state and trait anxiety, depression, and perceived stress during the course of the intervention. Seventeen women (mean age = 55.1 ± 11.1) with CHF participated in the study. The sample was 59% African American and 41% Caucasian. Participants completed measures of depression, state and trait anxiety, and perceived stress prior to participation in an eight-week group social support intervention. Post-intervention measures of depression, state anxiety, perceived stress, and overall satisfaction with the intervention were completed after the 8-week intervention. Participants also reported reasons for missing group sessions and indicated the portions of the intervention that they found most helpful as well as portions that they found least beneficial. Satisfaction was not significantly correlated with attendance in the support group sessions. In addition, satisfaction was not associated with reductions in anxiety, depression, or perceived stress during the course of the intervention. Although satisfaction did not appear to be important for adherence in the present study, satisfaction may be relevant for adherence to social support interventions in other patient populations.The Ohio State University College of Arts and SciencesThe Ohio State University College of Social and Behavioral Science