| Social Support, Social Network, and Frailty in Korean Elderly |
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Gyeong Suk Jeon, Soong Nang Jang, Susan Park |
1Department of Nursing, Mokpo National University, Mokpo, Korea.
2Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea. sjang@cau.ac.kr
3Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, & Nursing Science Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea. |
| 노인의 사회 관계망 및 사회적 지지와 허약의 관계 |
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전경숙1, 장숙랑2, 박수잔3 |
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목포대학교 자연과학대학 간호학과1, 중앙대학교 적십자간호대학2, 서울대학교 보건대학원 및 중앙대학교 간호과학연구소3 |
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| Abstract |
BACKGROUND
The concept of frailty has been extended to include social factors such as poverty and social support networks. The frailty index developed for elderly Canadians was recently examined in terms of the current broader concept of frailty. The present study explored the relationship between social support networks and frailty in Korean elderly individuals aged 65 years or older.
METHODS
A total of 1,874 people aged 65 years or older were recruited by judgment sampling of the population of Seocho-gu in Seoul and surveyed in 2011. The Korean Frailty Index, developed by the Korean Geriatric Society, was used as an outcome variable. A proportional odds model was used to evaluate the relationship between social support networks and depressive symptoms.
RESULTS
The prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty were 7.7% and 25.5%, respectively. A total of 9.9% of older adults lacked a social network, and 13.6% were deficient in social support. Social support networks were associated with frailty. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors (age, sex, marital status, economic status, and education), lack of a social network and support were associated with increased odds of frailty (social network: odds ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval 1.58-2.92; social support: odds ratio 2.01, 95% confidence interval 1.54-2.63).
CONCLUSION
Consistent with the concept of frailty being broadened to include social factors, frailty among elderly individuals was found to be influenced by social support networks. |
| Key Words:
Frailty, Social support, Social network |
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