Schrader MP, et al. – This trial investigated if race moderated the association between the perceived social support (PSS) with depression in African American and Caucasian patients with heart failure (HF). It was concluded that race moderated the link between PSS and depressive symptoms. No relationship was noted among African Americans. Current measures could not capture the types of social support significant for African Americans. The depressive symptoms were to be targeted differentially based on race. A need arose to determine the factors most vital for the amelioration of depressive symptoms in African Americans.

Methods

• 323 patients with HF were enrolled for this study.
• PSS and depressive symptoms were measured.
• Multiple regression analyses ascertained if PSS correlated with depressive symptoms, and if this link was moderated by race.

Results

• A correlation was noted between lower levels of depressive symptoms with higher levels of PSS controlling for relevant covariates, in the first step in testing moderation.
• In the second step, race moderated the association between PSS and depressive symptoms.
• It exhibited the presence of a strong inverse relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in Caucasians.
• However, no such association was noted among African Americans.