Abstract
Global social support (SS) has been linked to improved mental health, quality of life, cognition, daily activities, and social participation, but data on the association of SS with sleep quality (SQ) and self-rated health (SRH) outcomes is still scarce in lower middle-income settings. This study examined the associations of global social support with sleep and subjective health status, and tested whether these associations are mediated by depression. Data for this study were collected from 664 artisanal miners in Ghana. SS was measured using the Social Support Rating Scale-10. SRH was assessed using the 5-item from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36, while SQ was measured with two items measured on a 5-point scale. Depression was measured using the PHQ-9 scale. To test these associations, multiple regression models and a mediation analysis were fitted (model 4). The mean ± SD age was 28.8 ± 8.2 years; males = 84.3%. After adjustment for socio-demographic and health related covariates, global SS was significantly and positively correlated with improved SRH (B = 0.45, 95%CI [0.43, 0.46]) and with improved SQ (B = 0.02, 95%CI [0.01, 0.03]). Parallel mediation analyses revealed that depression significantly explained the association of SS with both SRH (~ 1%) and SQ (~ 33%). This study has provided evidence that global SS plays a protective role in enhancing SRH and sleep outcomes among small-scale miners. Given the difficult and hazardous nature of their work, promoting general SS and addressing mental health challenges could contribute significantly to improving their overall well-being.