J Korean Community Nurs.  2002 Dec;13(4):689-698.

A Comparative Study of Social Support, Depression, and Life Satisfaction in the Urban and Rural Elderly

• Sim MK
• Park JM

Abstract

PURPOSE
The study was carried out to identify the correlations among social support depression and life satisfaction and compare them between the rural and urban elderly. METHOD: The study participants included 57 rural elderly and 59 urban elderly who were surveyed and interviewed using social support and depression like satisfaction inventories by nursing students from May 2002 to June 2002. RESULT: The mean scores of social support and life satisfaction in the urban elderly were higher than those in the rural elderly However signigicant differences in the variables between the two elderly groups were not found. The mean score of depression in the rural elderly was higher than that in the urban elderly but a significant difference between the two groups indepression was not found. Social support was significantly correlates with age religion health status in the urban elderly and with significantly correlated with religion monthly expenditure health status in the both groups Life satisfaction was significantly correlated with age marital status religion monthly expenditure in the urban elderly and with health status in the rural elderly. Social support depression and life satisfaction were correlated each other in the urban elderly. The significant correlations were found between depression and life satisfaction and between social support and life satisfaction in the rural elderly.
CONCLUSION
the results suggest that further replicated studies are needed with larger samples. Appropriate nursing interventions with the consideration of characteristics of the rural and urban elderly are needed and developed to improve their social support and depression.

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Depression*
Equipment and Supplies
Health Expenditures
Humans
Marital Status
Nursing
Students, Nursing