Gender Interaction in Association of Perceived Social Support and Health-Related Quality of Life among Iranian Older People: A cross-Sectional Survey

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived social support and dimensions of Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to examine possible gender interaction in the mentioned associations.Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among ۶۴۴ participants over ۶۰ years old in Tehran. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted in their own homes using a structured multi-sectional questionnaire. Version ۱ of the SF-۱۲ scale was used to measure the HRQoL, consisting of two summary measures ، PCS (Physical Component Score) and MCS (Mental Component Score). The Persian version of the Social Provisions Scale (SPS) was used to measure perceived social support. Four multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models in STATA were used to examine the associations.Results: Older people with poor SPS score were ۱.۸ times more likely to be in the worst quartile of the MCS distribution (p=۰.۰۲), and twice as likely to be in the worst quartile of the PCS distribution (p=۰.۰۱). We found strong evidence (p=۰.۰۲) to support the hypothesis of gender interaction in the association between economic status and PCS, and borderline evidence (p=۰.۰۵) for gender interaction in the association between physical activity and PCS.Conclusions: Social support could be regarded as one of the main social determinants affecting HRQoL among elderly people. Men with poor economic status and poor physical activity, compared to women, are more likely to suffer from poor quality of life, thus men should be prioritized in financial support and lifestyle and physical activity interventions.

Keywords:

Perceived Social Support , Quality of Life , older people , Gender.