Re-Engagement into Care: The Role of Social Support on Service Use for Recurrent Episodes of Mental Health Distress Among Primary Care Patients

Given high rates of relapse of depression, understanding mechanisms that provide long-term benefits and optimal outcomes for depressed individuals is crucial. The current study examines social support as a relevant component in service use to manage mental health needs for individuals with recurrent depression over a 5-year period. Conducting a secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial titled Partners in Care, the study examines direct and moderating effects over two time points of reported 12-month social support on service use for mental health needs at 57-months for an adult sample (n = 991). Direct effects were supported for demographic and need variables. Increased social support at 12-months positively moderated the relationship between health impairment and service use at 57-months. Findings inform and extend the understanding of social support as an important mechanism to care to integrate into the treatment experience, encouraging service use to manage recurrent depressive episodes.