Investigation of The Relationship Between Perceived Social Support and Psychiatric Symptoms In Primary Health Care Delivery

Abstract

Objective: In recent years, the importance of “perceived social support” has been emphasized as an important factor associated with psychiatric symptoms. However, no study has yet examined this issue in primary care in Turkey. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and psychiatric symptoms in individuals applying to a family health center.

Methods: This study was conducted between 20 May 2021 and 16 July 2021. The study sample consisted of individuals aged 18-65 years who had registered witha family health center, were cognitively able to read and understand the instructions related on the scales, and volunteered to participate in the study. A total of 210 patients completed the study. Participants were asked to answer questions on the sociodemographic data form, the Symptom Checklist 90-R, and the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale. Independent sample t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for univariate analyses. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the unique association between perceived social support and psychiatric symptoms.

Results: Of the 210 participants who participated in the study, 52.4% (n=110) were female, and 47.6% (n=100) were male. The rate of patients with high school or lower education levels was 59% (n=124), while the rate of patients with university or higher education levels was 41% (n=86). The rate of married people was 55.2% (n=116), while the rate of those who are single was 44.8% (n=94). Pearson correlation analysis yielded a statistically significant inverse relationship between perceived social support scores and general psychopathology scores (r=-0.314, p<0.001). According to the results of multiple regression analysis, it was determined that there was a significant inverse relationship between perceived social support and psychiatric symptoms (β=-0.223, p<0.001).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, psychiatric symptoms are less common in individuals with high perceived social support levels. As a result, healthcare professionals aiming to protect and improve patients’ mental health should keep in mind that perceived social support is an important therapeutic target, and strategies to improve patients’ perceptions of social support should be determined and used in clinical practice.