| Loneliness and Social Support in the Elderly |
|
Mi Hwa Shin1, Sung Hee Ko1 |
1Chonbuk National University Hospital
2Department of Nursing, Medical School, Chonbuk National University |
| 노인의 고독감과 사회적 지지 |
|
신미화1, 고성희1 |
1전북대학병원 간호사
2전북의대 간호학과 교수 |
|
|
| Abstract |
|
This study was designed to investigate the relationship between loneliness and social support for older persons. The subjects consisted of 133 communicable persons aged over 65 living in C city.
Questionnaires applied to 74 family cared older persons and 59 institutionalized older persons and analysed the data comparing these two groups. Two instruments are used for the study : One is the structured questionnaire using the social support scale developed by Park (1985), and the other one is the revised UCLA loneliness scale by Russell, Peplau & Cutrona( 1980) translated by Kim & Kim (1989). Data was collected through interview with questionnaires from August 5 to 20, 1995. Data were processed by an SPSS-x program and analysed statistically for frequency, percentage, chi—square, ANOVA, t—test, Pearson Correlation coefficient according to the characteristics of variables.
The results of this study are as follows.
1) The mean score of perceived loneliness was 41.47 for family cared older persons, 49.03 for institutionalized older persons. There was a significant difference between two groups in scores (t=-4.05, P= 000).
2) The mean score of total social support was 142.29 for family cared elderly, 129.25 for institutionalized older persons. There was a significant difference between two groups in scores (t=2.97, P=.OO4).
3) The relationship between the perceived loneli ness and total social support score for the entire elderly was negatively correlated(r= —.70, P= .000).
Additionally, general characteristics related to loneliness for the entire elderly were age, educational level, allowance, income satisfaction, subjective health status, marital status participation in social activity. General characteristics related to social support for the entire elderly were age, allowance, income satisfaction, subjective health status, marital status. |
| Key Words:
Loneliness; Social support |
|
PDF Links
Full text via DOI
Download Citation
