Determinants of the Social Support Among Elderly People Living in Rural Areas

Research over the past decades has demonstrated that the social support impacts significantly on health of individuals and their ability to cope with stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the level and kinds of the received support and examine its predictors. The study was performed personally, using interviews based on the structural questionnaires. The group of respondents consisted of 203 people aged 65 years and over living in rural areas in Małopolska. The social support was evaluated by means of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS SSS) scale. The analysis of the collected research material was performed using the statistical package SPSS 19 for Windows and multivariate analysis techniques. The obtained results indicate that participants were experienced high level of instrumental support. In addition, the level and type of received support was determined by respondents: age, self-health assessment, disability in physical functioning and family situation.

Anna Mirczak