Influencing Factors of Mental and Physical Health and Social Support of the Elderly in Southern Taiwan

• Main Authors: HUANG, YING-CHEN, 黃瀅臻
• Other Authors: Chen, Min-Li
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/3789u4

碩士 === 長庚科技大學 === 護理系碩士在職專班 === 107 === Background. Taiwan has become an aging society. Yunlin County and Chiayi County have the highest elderly countries. The most worried issue about the elderly is the "physical health”, especially for "economic issue". Physical health among elderly is an important "caring problem" when they are sick. The weaker elderly may need more substantial assistance of the social support system. Methods. This study is a cross-sectional study to facilitate the random sampling of 265 elderly people aged 65 or older living in the Yunlin and Chiayi community. The main research tools are the conscious health scale and the social support scale. Data analysis used statistical methods such as factor analysis, Pearson product difference correlation, independent sample T-test, and single-factor variance analysis. Results. The study found that demographic variables were significantly different in terms of "marital status" and social support scale. There was no significant correlation between age, gender, education level, number of children, living conditions, religious beliefs, economic status, and social participation. Age, economic status, education level, and marital status were significantly associated with overall physical and mental health; social support was positively correlated with physical health status (p < 0.05). Conclusion. To sum up, the elderly population is gradually increasing. Further study needs more discussion to provide better care to elderly population. Also, the government needs to provide more health promotion activities and advanced physical technology to help the elderly achieve positive impacts on future health care. Keywords: elderly people, social support, perceived health status