The Relationship between Intergenerational Relationships and Social Support on Self-Care in Elderly People with Chronic Disease Referring to Teaching Medical Centers of … University of Medical Sciences in 2020

With the appearance of social changes and traditional transformations, family care for the elderly has decreased, which has special physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences for this generation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between "intergenerational relationships" and "social support" on "self-care ability" in the elderly with chronic disease.

This analytical study was conducted in 2020 in the educational and medical centers of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Using the available sampling method, 360 elderly patients with chronic disease were included in the study. Data were collected using questionnaires of "intergenerational relationships, social support, self-care". Wilcoxon, linear regression, and linear equation analysis were used to analyze the data using SPSS software version 21 and at a significance level of 0.05.

The mean and standard deviation of intergenerational relationships (40.7± 4.6) were somewhat good, and social support (85.02±11.31) and self-care (70.53 ± 8.84) was high. There was a positive and significant relationship between social support and intergenerational relationships (β=0.24, P<0.001), but the relationship between intergenerational relationships and self-care (β=0.18, P <0.001) and social support with self-care (r = -0.276, P <0.001) was inverse and significant.

With the increase of intergenerational relations, the dimensions of social support in the elderly with chronic diseases increased. Older people with stronger social support and intergenerational relationships were less able to take care of themselves. It seems that the studied elderly left their responsibility of care to the family and therefore paid less attention to themselves.