ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1970s, social support has become a focus of research in the literature. Studies have found that social support can have a significant positive effect on recovery from surgery, total mortality rates, health care utilization, depression, teenage pregnancy, and various other conditions. Most of these studies have focused on the ability of social support to moderate or buffer the impact of psychosocial stress on physical and mental health. This article reviews the concepts, measures, and theories of social support in the literature and provides a conceptual and theoretical framework for social and administrative pharmacy scientists. Possible research topics are suggested for the application of social support in the areas of patient compliance, alcohol and drug abuse, medical care utilization, job attitudes and behaviors, and quality of life.
