Social Support and its Association with Socio-demographic Factors among Elderly in District Ghaziabad

Abstract

Introduction: Elderly individuals often experience physical decline, loneliness, and dependence, making social support an essential determinant of their quality of life. With changing family structures in India, it is important to understand the level of social support available to the elderly and how it varies with socio-demographic factors. This study was conducted to assess level of social support among the elderly population in district Ghaziabad and to examine its association with socio-demographic factors.

Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 630 participants who were aged 60 years and above in rural areas of district Ghaziabad. Participants were selected by multistage random sampling. Data were collected using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire, which included socio-demographic details and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The data were analyzed using SPSS and chi-square tests were applied to determine associations.

Results: Out of 630 elderly, 42.1% were aged 60–69 years, and 73.8% were males. The majority were Hindus (83.0%) and 52.7% were married. 31.9% were illiterate, 64.1% were not working and 48.6% financially dependent. Perceived social support was moderate in 65.2%, high in 17.9%, and low in 16.8%. Family provided the highest support (mean score 4.12 ± 1.26). Significant associations were found between social support and age, religion, caste, marital status, education, occupation, financial dependency, socio-economic status, and family type (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Most elderly reported moderate social support, mainly from family. Socio-demographic factors significantly influenced support, highlighting the need to strengthen family and community networks.