Abstract 4366561: Sex and Race Differences in Social Support and Health-Related Quality of Life in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Survivors

Introduction: Social support is known to influence health-related quality of life and is associated with health outcomes, such as self-care, hospitalization rate, mortality. Sex and race differences in social support and clinical outcomes have been reported, but less is known about how social support varies among cardiac ICU survivors. Research Question and Hypothesis: This study aimed to examine whether the association between social support and the quality of life differed by sex and race, and whether higher levels of social support were associated with better quality of life among survivors of cardiac intensive care. Methods: This cross-sectional study was part of the Wellness and Needs of Men and Women after a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Stay (WellNOW) study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort of CICU survivors. Data were collected from 130 participants diagnosed who were transferred to a step-down unit following discharge from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. The primary independent variable was social support, assessed using the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument. The outcome variable was health-related quality of life, measured using the 12-item Short Form Survey, comprising physical and mental component scores. Sex and race were self-reported and examined as potential effect modifiers. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted, with interaction terms for sex and race tested in separate models, controlling for age, educational level, length of intensive care unit stay, and comorbidity. Results: Participants were an average age of 61.8 ± 13.4 years. The sample was mostly female (55.4%, n=72). Nearly one third of participants were Black (30.8%, n=40); most participants were White (62.3%, n=81). Higher social support was positively associated with better mental health-related quality of life (β = 0.62, p=0.001), while no association was found for the physical component of health-related quality of life (β=0.03, p=0.859), in adjusted regression models. The relationship between social support and mental health-related quality of life was not moderated by sex nor race. Conclusion: Better health-related quality of life, notably in the mental health domain, was associated with higher levels of social support among cardiac intensive care unit survivors. However, sex and racial differences did not affect this correlation. Future interventions may aim to enhance psychological wellness by increasing perceived social support in this population.