Title
Social support and self-rated health revisited : is there a gender difference in later life?
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Social Science and Medicine
Publication Date
7-1-2006
Volume
63
Issue
1
First Page
118
Last Page
122
Publisher
Pergamon Press
Keywords
Self-rated health, Social support, Gender, Elderly, Hong Kong
Abstract
This study examines the physical, behavioral, emotional and social determinants of self-rated health among Chinese older persons, and investigates if the effect of social support varies by gender. A representative sample of 1589 elderly community dwellers in Hong Kong were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Gender difference in the effect of social support was tested by an interaction term, 'gender x social support', in a hierarchical regression analysis. The frequency of falling ill, the number of chronic illnesses, sleep quality, mobility and positive emotions were most important determinants of self-rated health. The effect of social support was completely redundant when these factors were taken into account. The interaction term 'gender x social support' was significant and indicated a stronger effect for women, but the effect size was negligible (adding only 0.3% to the explained variance). This suggests that the effect of social support by and large is gender free. These findings suggest a high degree of similarity in the determinants of self-rated health between Western and Chinese older populations.
DOI
10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.12.004
Print ISSN
02779536
E-ISSN
18735347
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2006 Elsevier Ltd
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Cheng, S. T., & Chan, C. M. A. (2006). Social support and self-rated health revisited: Is there a gender difference in later life? Social Science & Medicine, 63(1), 118-122. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.12.004
