The Impact of Social Support on Depression amongst Amputees in Quetta, Balochistan

Background: Lower levels of social support, self-efficacy, and religiosity have been implicated in the onset and persistence of depression. Depression is characterized as a mood disorder marked by persistent feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and a lack of interest in activities. Social relationships and support significantly influence general well-being and mortality risk. This study aimed to investigate the effect of social support on depression among amputees. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2018 at three rehabilitation centers in Quetta. Primary data were collected from amputees, due to both traumatic and non-traumatic causes, using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad, and written informed consent was secured from all participants. Results: A total of 54 participants were included, comprising 7 women (13%) and 47 men (87%). Nearly all participants (98.1%) reported positive social support, while 2% experienced negative or no social support. HADS results revealed that 31.5% (n = 17) of participants experienced no or mild depression, while 68.5% (n = 37) had moderate to severe depression. A statistically significant relationship was found between social support and depression (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Higher levels of social support significantly reduce depression severity among amputees, underscoring the critical role of social relationships in mitigating depression in this population.