Social support of elderly in-patients and its influential factors / 中华健康管理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the social support of the elderly hospitalized individuals and its relationship with outcomes and to study its influential factors.Methods The elderly in-patients aged＞65 years old who were treated from April to June 2012 in Geriatric Department were recruited.The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) that included social support scale (SSRS) was used.According to SSRS,the patients were assigned to the lower or higher score group.The participants were followed up for 1 year,and 12-month mortality and re-hospitalization were recorded.Student's t test,Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results The total score of social support was 26.58±8.99,which was significantly lower than the national norm (34.56±3.73,t =-7.52,P＜0.05).Those with advanced age,less household,depression,insufficient ability of daily life and instrument daily life showed relatively lower SSRS (t values were-2.54,8.22,-6.61,6.72 and 6.95,respectively; all P＜0.05).The patients with no spouse also got less social support (x2 =8.58,P＜0.05).At 1 year,no significant difference of re-hospitalization and mortality was found between the two groups (x2 values were 1.94 and 3.28,respectively; both P＞0.05).In multiple logistic regression analysis,fanily member,characteristics and living ability were the major influential factors of social support.Conclusions Medical staff should pay more attention to the elderly hospitalized patients and offer them sufficient social support to improve their quality of life.