0 - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Biopsychosocial Effects Among Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patients 49
CHAPTER IV: DISCUSSION
This research proposal had two main Pl11110ses. The first purpose was to see if a
negative correlation existed between social support and depression, to measure a
correlational relationship between social support levels and levels of perceived pain, and
to find a positive relationship between social support and health related quality of life.
The second main outcome examined was to assess a correlational relationship between
dimensions ofcoping and pain levels, dimensions of coping and depression, and to find a
correlation between coping and health related quality of life.
The literature suggests that social support is a powerful psychological tool in
combating stress. Social support is found to serve as a protective factor among medical
patients and to reduce depression levels (Albee, 1968; Rhodes, 2000). It has even been
found that social support can mitigate outcomes when CABG patients are supported by a
spouse or partner (Stenlund, Lindstrom, Granlund, & Burell, 2005). Although the current
study did not find a significant relationship between social support and depression, the
correlation approached significance. One possible reason for this may be that the study
did not have the power to detect a relationship because of a small sample size.
Another possible reason for the finding may be that depression scores are higher
for medical patients; therefore, that might be a limitation in some findings (Bruce et aI.,
2003). An important mediating variable may be within the sample ofparticipants who
volunteered. Those who had support and were able to find transportation to the cardiac
suite may indeed show less depressive symptoms. Patients with little instrumental support
may have been unable to receive transportation; therefore, they were left out of data
collection indicating a sampling bias.