Social support and mortality among the aged people with major diseases or ADL disabilities in Taiwan: A national study

Abstract Objective To determine the effects of social support on mortality among the aged people with major diseases or ADL disabilities. Method In this prospective cohort study, data were retrieved from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging from 1996 to 2007. Data for 1297 males and 1666 females aged ≥65 years were collected. The participants were divided into having major diseases or ADL disability or none. Subjects received financial, instrumental, and emotional support, and they actively provided instrumental and emotional support to others. The effect of the association between providing and receiving social support on mortality was examined using Cox regression analysis after adjusting several covariates. Results Results showed a significant finding that providing instrumental support can lower mortality rates in the aged people [Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66–0.90; p  = 0.0009] and those with major diseases or impairment of activities of daily living [Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50–0.78; p  ≤ 0.0001] after adjusting for several covariates. Providing instrumental social support to others may prolong life expectancy in the aged people and even those with major diseases or those facing difficulties performing ADL. Conclusion Based on the finding, we should encourage older adults who have major diseases or ADL disabilities to be supporting providers especially in providing instrumental social support.