| Learning Objective #1: Describe the relationships among depression, social support, and functional performance in people with COPD | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe the relationships among depression, mastery, and functional performance in people with COPD |
Method: Participants were recruited from a suburban pulmonary medicine practice. A total of 119 people (68.17 ± 8.48 years, 53.8% male, 99% Caucasian) completed the study protocol. Overall scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subscale, the Personal Resources Questionnaire 85-Part II, the Mastery Scale, and the Functional Performance Inventory-Short Form were calculated. Individual and multiple regression analyses (controlling for age) were conducted as outlined in Baron and Kenny (1986).
Findings: In individual regression analyses, social support predicted depression and also functional performance. In the simultaneous regression of functional performance on depression and social support, depression was a predictor, but social support was not. The conditions required for mediation were met; depression is a mediator between social support and functional performance in this sample. In individual regression analyses, mastery predicted depression and also functional performance. In the simultaneous regression of functional performance on depression and mastery, depression was a predictor, but mastery was not. The three conditions for mediation were again met, and depression is also a mediator between mastery and functional performance in this sample.
Discussion: Depression is of interest because of its prevalence in both the chronic illness and the aging populations. Adequate treatment of depression may improve functional performance, or dimensions of functional performance, in people with COPD. The results of these analyses support the importance of adherence to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on screening for depression in the adult population.