Association between structural social support and quality of life among urban older Malaysians

Abu Hammattah A 1 , Mohd Yunus R 1 , Matthias Müller A 2 , Bahyah Kamaruzzaman S 3 , Naqiah Hairi N 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Center for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore
  • 3 Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Australas J Ageing, 2021 Dec;40(4):390-396.
PMID: 33594750 DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12919

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association between structural social support and quality of life (QoL) among urban older people in Malaysia.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data of 1484 participants from the first wave of the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) were analysed. QoL was measured with the Control, Autonomy, Self-realization, and Pleasure 12-item scale (CASP-12). Multivariate analyses were run using the generalised linear interactive model (GLIM) to determine the association between structural social support measures and QoL.

RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 70.1 (SD = 7.4) years. Being married (B = 0.05, 95%CI 0.02, 0.08), larger social networks (B = 0.01, 95%CI 0.01, 0.02) and social participation (B = 0.02, 95%CI 0.02, 0.09) were associated with higher QoL, while living alone (B= -0.04, 95%CI -0.06, -0.02) was associated with lower QoL.

CONCLUSION: Structural social support plays an important role in the QoL of older people in Malaysia.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Similar publications