Disability among older adults residing in Poldasht, Iran in 2018: The role of social support as a protective factor

Objective: The present study examined the role of social support in protecting against disability among older people residing in Poldasht, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran in 2018. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken on 305 older adults who were selected by random sampling method. The World Health Organization Standardized Disability Scale (WHODASS2) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were applied to collect the data. Data analysis was run through a multiple linear regression model by SPSS 23. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The mean age of older people was 69.13 ± 7.63 years. The highest incidence of disability was in the subscale of community participation (n = 111, 36.4%) and mobility (n = 111, 36.4%). The results revealed that age (β= 0.32, p < 0.001), financial status (β = 0.14, p =0.002), job (β = -0.18, p =0.02), number of physical illnesses (β = -0.21, p < 0.001), and social support (β = -0.17, p < 0.001) were predictive factors of disability among older people. Conclusion: The results showed a high prevalence of disability among older people. Given the protective role of social support in reducing disability, it is suggested to consider this cost-effective factor in attempts to deal with disability and then promote the quality of life of this vulnerable group.