Title

Perception of Elderly Taiwanese About the Availability of Social Support

Author(s)

Jennifer C. Cornman Jennifer Cornman (Princeton University)

Noreen Goldman Noreen Goldman (Princeton University)

Maxine Weinstein Maxine Weinstein (Georgetown University)

Hui-Sheng Lin Hui-Sheng Lin (Center for Population and Health Survey Research Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan)

Abstract

We examine the Taiwanese elderly's perceptions about the availability of social support, an aspect of social support about which little is known in the Taiwanese setting. Using data from a longitudinal study of the elderly in Taiwan, we create three typologies that measure the stability of perceptions about emotional and sick care. We also investigate the effects of sociodemographic characteristics, network characteristics, social involvement and personality characteristics on the stability of perceptions. In general, the elderly hold positive perceptions about the availability of social support, and these perceptions are fairly stable over the 10-year period under review. Elderly who are older, have a secondary school education, are Taiwanese, are continuously married throughout the study period, have four or more close friends, are socially involved, are not depressed, and who have a high life satisfaction are more likely than their respective counter parts to have consistently positive perceptions about the availability of social support.

Creation Date

2001-05

Section URL ID

OPR

Paper Number

opr0105.pdf

URL

https://web.archive.org/web/20150906193444/http://opr.princeton.edu/papers/opr0105.pdf

File Function

Jel

J14

Keyword(s)

Taiwan

Suppress

false

Series

11