Enhancing Social Support Among People with Cardiovascular Disease: a Systematic Scoping Review

The presence of social support is a major determinant of positive health outcomes among people with cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, little is known about the most effective strategies for enhancing social support among this population. The aim of this scoping review was to describe the effectiveness of interventions seeking to enhance social support among people living with CVD and synthesize the evidence.

A systematic search for articles that (a) reported on interventions which may enhance social support and (b) included a measure of social support revealed 21 studies. Interventions to enhance social support were diverse and included cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, peer support, and multi-faceted cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Most studies were of fair to good quality according to the PEDro criteria. With the exception of caregiver-oriented interventions, few studies reported significant changes in social support measures. Early evidence suggests that caregiver-oriented strategies may offer a promising avenue for enhancing social support; however, more research of higher quality is required to determine the optimal strategies to enhance support among those living with CVD.