Abstract
This study explores health, disability, and social support perceptions among adults with sarcoidosis. Significant correlations between disability and social support highlight the vital role of OTs in developing interventions.
Primary Author and Speaker: Sonya Meyer
This study aimed to explore the subjective perceptions of health, disability, functional impairment, and perceived social support, and the relationships between these factors in adults with sarcoidosis. Occupational therapists play an important role in addressing functional limitations in chronic conditions (AOTA, 2022). Sarcoidosis is a complex, rare, chronic inflammatory condition characterized by non-caseating granulomas in various organs. The average diagnosis age is 35 to 50 years (Ungprasert et al., 2019). People with sarcoidosis experience many health symptoms unrelated to the affected organs (e.g., fatigue, pain, reduced energy levels, and concentration and memory problems), which can impact daily functioning. Social support is important for better health outcomes (Voortman et al., 2019). Ninety-five adults diagnosed with sarcoidosis (67.4% women), aged 32 to 88 years (Mage = 52.84, SD = 11.26) participated in this cross-sectional online anonymous study. Most participants (70.5%) reported that their lungs were the organ affected by sarcoidosis. Participants completed the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were conducted to analyze the data. Significant negative correlations were found between self-report disability assessment total score and self-perceived support from family (rs = -.56, p <.001), friends (rs = -.54, p <.001), and significant others (rs = -.47, p <.001). The results underscore the importance of various dimensions of social support for promoting functional ability among adults with sarcoidosis. Occupational therapists can play a crucial role in developing and advancing intervention programs for this population. Hence, it is imperative for occupational therapist researchers and practitioners to deepen their knowledge about this chronic health condition and pursue opportunities to develop interventions.
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