Is Social support a key factor influencing depressive symptoms among older adults Living in Cimahi, West Java Province, Indonesia?

Abstract

Depression is a major factor in late life suicide among older adults. A factor contributing to depressive symptoms among older adults who live in Cimahi is social support, which has been found to influence depressive symptoms. However, the association between social support and depressive symptoms in this population is still unclear in Cimahi, West Java Province, Indonesia. Objective: This study aimed to describe depressive symptoms and social support of older adults and to examine the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms among older adults living in Cimahi, West Java Province, Indonesia. A cross sectional design was used in this study. Participants were selected from 13 primary health centers in Cimahi using multi stage sampling method. A total of 243 older adults were recruited. Data were collected by questionnaires which were the socio-demographic data, Geriatric Depression Scale -15 and The multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square method was used for analysing data. The finding indicate that depressive symptoms of older adults were majority at a normal level (56.2%). Furthermore, 25.09% of older adults were found to have mild depressive symptoms. The mean of the social support factor for older adults was 52.8% received high social support. The results of this study found that social support of older adults living in Cimahi, West Java Province, Indonesia is significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (ꭓ 2 =28.976, p < .01). Community nurse should consider the effects of social support on depressive symptoms in the older adults. Relevant program at primary health centers should include this factor to alleviating depressive symptoms in older adults.