TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of social support in the experience of life with ischemic heart disease for socially disadvantaged patients
T2 - A qualitative study
AU - Rasmussen, Amanda Nikolajew
AU - Guise, Andrew
AU - Overgaard, Charlotte
N1 - Funding Information:
We are deeply thankful to the participants for sharing their accounts with us. Furthermore, we thank the Karen Elise Jensen Foundation for supporting the study financially.
Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Karen Elise Jensens Foundation (grant number 873091).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021/12/6
Y1 - 2021/12/6
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - interviews
KW - Ischemic heart disease
KW - qualitative research
KW - social inequality in health
KW - social support
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120742663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/17423953211065005
DO - 10.1177/17423953211065005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85120742663
SN - 1742-3953
JO - Chronic Illness
JF - Chronic Illness
ER -
