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With a little help from my friends?: racial and gender differences in the role of social support in later-life depression medication adherence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2017

Lauren B. Gerlach ,
Janet Kavanagh ,
Daphne Watkins ,
Claire Chiang ,
Hyungjin M. Kim  and
Helen C. Kales
Lauren B. Gerlach*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Janet Kavanagh
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Daphne Watkins
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Claire Chiang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Hyungjin M. Kim
Affiliation:
Center for Statistical Consultation and Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Helen C. Kales
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Lauren B. Gerlach, DO, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. Phone: +734-764-0231; Fax: 734-647-8535. Email: glauren@med.umich.edu.
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Abstract

Background:

Social support has been shown to be an important factor in improving depression symptom outcomes, yet less is known regarding its impact on antidepressant medication adherence. This study sought to evaluate the role of perceived social support on adherence to new antidepressant medication prescriptions in later-life depression.

Methods:

Data from two prospective observational studies of participants ≥60 years old, diagnosed with depression, and recently prescribed a new antidepressant (N = 452). Perceived social support was measured using a subscale of the Duke Social Support Index and medication adherence was assessed using a validated self-report measure.

Results:

At four-month follow up, 68% of patients reported that they were adherent to antidepressant medication. Examining the overall sample, logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant relationship between perceived social support and medication adherence. However, when stratifying the sample by social support, race, and gender, adherence significantly differed by race and gender in those with inadequate social support: Among those with low social support, African-American females were significantly less likely to adhere to depression treatment than white females (OR = 4.82, 95% CI = 1.14–20.28, p = 0.032) and white males (OR = 3.50, 95% CI = 1.03–11.92, p = 0.045).

Conclusions:

There is a significant difference in antidepressant medication adherence by race and gender in those with inadequate social support. Tailored treatment interventions for low social support should be sensitive to racial and gender differences.

Keywords

later-life depressionantidepressant adherencesocial support
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 9 , September 2017 , pp. 1485 - 1493
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

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