Depression and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) are each prevalent disorders, which frequently co-occur. Approximately 15-23% of individuals recovering from a heart attack (e.g., myocardial infarction; MI) will meet criteria for major depression and up to 65% will experience elevations in depressive symptoms. Yet, history of depression and disease severity are only moderately predictive of this co-morbidity. Importantly, depression is embedded within social context and, in particular, depression is strongly associated with marital adjustment. The primary goal of the current research is to examine if individuals with worse marital adjustment experience higher levels and a more persistent course of depressive symptoms following MI, in a 6-mo, 3-wave, prospective study of 150 men and women. Some research suggests that marital distress and depressive symptoms are more closely linked in women than in men. Therefore, the current research will examine if gender moderates the associations between marital adjustment and level and course of depression, with the hypothesis that associations will be stronger for women than for men. Previous research suggests that depression and possibly marital adjustment represent risk factors for negative physical health outcomes following MI. Further, when psychosocial risk factors occur in combination, the probability of negative outcomes is likely to increase substantially due to additive or synergistic effects. A secondary goal of the study will therefore be to examine the joint and independent effects of depression and marital adjustment on quality of life, functional status, and the probability of recurrent events following Ml. Women may experience worse outcomes following MI, and psychosocial factors could contribute to this trend. The proposed research will therefore examine if gender moderates the relationships between depression, marital adjustment, and health outcomes following CHD, with the hypothesis that effects will be stronger for women than for men. The broader goal of the proposed research is to identify aspects of social functioning that could represent potent, modifiable risk factors for CHD and depression co-morbidity, in the hopes of informing more effective prevention and intervention efforts.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03MH066101-01
Application #
6531865
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-RPHB-3 (01))
Program Officer
Muehrer, Peter R
Project Start
2002-09-01
Project End
2004-08-31
Budget Start
2002-09-01
Budget End
2003-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$74,480
Indirect Cost
Name
San Diego State University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
073371346
City
San Diego
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92182
Ghaed, Shiva G; Gallo, Linda C (2007) Subjective social status, objective socioeconomic status, and cardiovascular risk in women. Health Psychol 26:668-74
Ghaed, Shiva G; Gallo, Linda C (2006) Distinctions among agency, communion, and unmitigated agency and communion according to the interpersonal circumplex, Five-factor model, and social-emotional correlates. J Pers Assess 86:77-88
Gallo, Linda C; Smith, Timothy W; Cox, Claudia M (2006) Socioeconomic status, psychosocial processes, and perceived health: an interpersonal perspective. Ann Behav Med 31:109-19
Gallo, Linda C; Matthews, Karen A (2006) Adolescents' attachment orientation influences ambulatory blood pressure responses to everyday social interactions. Psychosom Med 68:253-61
Gallo, Linda C; Malek, Mary J; Gilbertson, Alan D et al. (2005) Perceived cognitive function and emotional distress following coronary artery bypass surgery. J Behav Med 28:433-42
Gallo, Linda C; Bogart, Laura M; Vranceanu, Ana-Maria et al. (2005) Socioeconomic status, resources, psychological experiences, and emotional responses: a test of the reserve capacity model. J Pers Soc Psychol 88:386-99
Gallo, Linda C; Bogart, Laura M; Vranceanu, Ana-Maria et al. (2004) Job characteristics, occupational status, and ambulatory cardiovascular activity in women. Ann Behav Med 28:62-73
Gallo, Linda C; Troxel, Wendy M; Kuller, Lewis H et al. (2003) Marital status, marital quality, and atherosclerotic burden in postmenopausal women. Psychosom Med 65:952-62
Gallo, Linda C; Troxel, Wendy M; Matthews, Karen A et al. (2003) Marital status and quality in middle-aged women: Associations with levels and trajectories of cardiovascular risk factors. Health Psychol 22:453-63