The mediating role of social support on the relation between social capital and satisfaction with self-care program in patients referring to cardiac rehabilitation centers

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world and in Iranian people. Social determinants play an important role in explaining the consequences of cardiovascular disease. The current study aimed to explore the structural relationships between social capital, social support, as two social determinants of health, and satisfaction with self-care program in patients referring to cardiac rehabilitation centers in Isfahan (Iran). Materials and Methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted in Isfahan in 2016. A total of 155 cardiovascular patients were recruited, who were selected from two cardiac rehabilitation centers in Isfahan (Iran). The patients completed a pack of questionnaires including satisfaction with self-care program Checklist, Multidimensional Social support Scale and Social Capital Scale. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data. Results: Out of total patients, 112 (72.3) were male and 43 (27.7) were female. There was significant and positive relationship between social support, as a mediating variable, and satisfaction with self-care program (r=.0.49, P-value<0.01). The final model showed that 29 of the overall variance of satisfaction with self-care program was attributed to social support and social capital. The indices of goodness of fit were estimated as satisfying (RMSEA=0.07, AGFI=0.87, GFI=0.79). Conclusion: the final model confirmed the direct and indirect effects of both structural and cognitive social capital on satisfaction with self-care program through social support. According to results, it can be concluded that supportive issues and social relations networks, as a social determinants affecting on health, can be important factors in determining patients’ satisfaction with self-care program in cardiac rehabilitation centers. © 2018, Semnan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.