The indirect influence of ‘invisible’ support on pulmonary function among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ABSTRACT

Individuals living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often require support from family or friends. We examined whether invisible support – support that is provided but goes unnoticed – is related to pulmonary function, and whether this association is mediated by depressive symptoms and illness perceptions. Sixty-six dyads of individuals with COPD and their informal caregivers reported on receipt and provision of support, respectively. Those with COPD completed measures of depressive symptoms, illness perceptions and pulmonary function. Although invisible support was not directly related to pulmonary function, mediation analyses revealed a combined indirect effect through lower depressive symptoms and less negative illness perceptions. Interventions teaching skillful delivery of support to caregivers may reduce depressive symptoms and threatening illness cognitions, which may contribute to improvements in symptom burden among patients with COPD

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• caregivers
• dyads
• social support
• illness perceptions
• depressive symptoms

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Rachel O’Conor, Michael S. Wolf, Melissa Martynenko, Tianyun Sheng, Fernando Caday, Jose Morillo, Allison Russell, who assisted with recruitment, project coordination, and data management.

Disclosure statement

Dr. Wisnivesky received consulting honorarium from Sanofi, Banook, GSK and Athea and research grants from Sanofi and Arnold Consultants.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI R01 HL105385).