Abstract 16902: Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Relationship between Perceived Control and Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure and their Family Caregivers

Background: Depressive symptoms are common and associated with poor quality of life in patients with heart failure (HF) and their family caregivers. Perceived control over management of HF is associated with both depressive symptoms and quality of life for both patients and caregivers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relationship between perceived control and quality of life was mediated by depressive symptoms. Methods: A total of 128 patients with HF and their family caregivers completed questionnaires in which depressive symptoms, perceived control, and quality of life were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Cardiac Attitude Index, and SF-12. A series of multiple regressions were used to determine mediation effect of depressive symptoms in patients and caregivers separately. Significant test of mediation effect (i.e., indirect effect) was examined by Sobel z-score testing. Results: Perceived control was associated with quality of life and depressive symptoms for patients and caregivers. When depressive symptoms were added into the prediction model for quality of life, the significant relationship between perceived control and quality of life disappeared as shown by changes from C to C’ in Figure 1 in both patients and caregivers. The mediation effects of depressive symptoms were significant and high as 88% and 63% of total effect for patient and caregivers, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that perceived control is critical in quality of life for both patients and caregivers. The significant mediation effect of depressive symptoms on this relationship more clearly provides direction for interventions to improve quality of life in dyads.