Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 5 S330-S339, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America
Health, social support, and the utilization of health services among older adults
MJ Penning
Department of Sociology, University of Victoria.
This study examined the role of social support in relation to health status
and health service utilization. The analyses draw on data from interviews
with a stratified random sample of 1,284 noninstitutionalized adults aged
60 and over living in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The findings reveal
differences depending upon the type of support (instrumental, emotional)
and type of service (medical, hospital, home care) involved. Significant
interactions are found between dimensions of support and of health status,
suggesting the differential importance of social support across levels of
health- related need.