Effects of Perceived Social Support on Quality of Life and Death Anxiety in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract

The present study investigates the effects of Perceived Social Support on Quality of life and Death Anxiety in patients with Coronary Heart Disease. For this purpose, the sample of 100 patients (Male=55, Female=45) with coronary heart disease were selected. Data was gathered through purposive sampling technique from different hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. To study the variable of interest, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support translated by Jabeen, and Khalid, (2010) was used to assess Perceived Social Support, Quality of life translated by Khan, Akhter, Ayub, Alam, & Laghari, (2003) was used to assess Quality of life and Death Anxiety scale, developed by Goreja and Pervaz, (2000), was used to assess the level of death anxiety in patients with Coronary heart disease. Data was analyzed on SPSS version 21. Pearson productmoment coefficient correlation was computed to find out the relationship between Perceived Social Support, Quality of life and Death Anxiety among patients with coronary heart disease (P<.05, P<.Ol). Regression analysis was used to assess Perceived Social Support as a predictor, Quality of life and Death Anxiety as outcome.T tests were used to assess demographic variables (gender and family system). For occupation, education and income one way ANOV A was computed. Results of the demographics indicated that females had higher death anxiety as compared to the males. Patients those living in joint family system perceived more social support as compared to nuclear family system and those who have higher education, personal business and good level of income perceived more social support, improved quality of life and therefore experienced lower level of death anxiety as compared to others. Moreover, this research can be useful for counselors and psychologists; it might be useful for improved quality of life and it may help to decrease death anxiety in coronary heart patients and would contlibute to the literature by emphasizing the significance of perceived social support, quality of life and death anxiety in coronary heart patients. Suggestions and limitations for further researches have also been discussed.