A Study On Mental Health And Social Support Of The Elderly In Rural Areas Of Xingyi City, Guizhou Province

Research Background:I China has been in the rank of the Aging society in 1999, its population of Guizhou has reached 8.32%, was 0.22% higher than the national average level. For the inevitability of the process of urbanization and industrialization, a large number of rural young labors went to urban, many elderly were left. The mental health of elderly left-behind in rural areas was highlighted; social support may have influence on them.Research purpose:Understand the mental health status of elderly left-behind in rural areas of Xingyi, Guizhou, analyze the relationship between the mental health status of elderly in rural and social support, and discuss the social support intervention measures of the mental health of elderly left-behind in rural.Research Methods:Cross-sectional study, according to spot investigation, made questionnaire survey for the mental health status of elderly left-behind in rural areas over 60-year old of 249 elderly in Zhuchangping Countyside, Xingyi, and social support research in August 2013. The spot investigation is designed by the author referring to the Elderly Mental Health Questionnaire edited by Zhengyun Wu, etc., Social Support Scale edited by Shiyuanxiao, etc., and The Understanding Type of Social Support Scale edited by zimet. Use SPSS 17.0 to set up the database, and use it to descriptive analysis, X,2-test, T test analysis and relation analysis.Research Results:1. General situation:(1). Age structure is too large. Age over 70 years accounts for 50.5%, the maximum age is 94 years (2). Level of education is generally low.63.9% of the elderly left behind never go to school,32.7% are only graduated from elementary school, the highest degree is only junior high school; (3) The primary occupation is mainly farming, which accounts for 86.4%; (4) Fewer economic resources; The labor of farmers and their wives accounts for 69.4%, or wife, children or social assistance accounts for 30.6%.(5) Marital status. The widowed elderly left behind accounts for 21.8% and are not intended to remarry, the proportion of remarry supported by children only accounts for 3.0%; (6). Physical health is worrying.57.1% of the elderly left behind have illness in varying degrees, including 46.9% of chronic disease and unintentional injuries.2. Social support:Social support score is lower than the average level of Chinese elderly, objective support is divided into (7.46±2.411) lower than the normal Chinese population (8.15); subjective support is divided into (53.18±11.610), which is only in an intermediate state (between 37-60 scores), support use of (7.88±2.427) is slightly higher than the normal Chinese population (7.18).3. Mental Health:The total score (52.82± 8.446) of mental health of the elderly left-behind in the rural areas is lower than the total score (55.39±9.287) of the elderly left-behind, the difference has statistically significant (P= 0.025); 4.Comparison between the mental health status with sociological characteristics of the left-behind elderly:sex (t=-2.663, P=0.009), ethnic (emotional dimension t=-2.003, P=0.047), age (emotional dimension t=2.404, P=0.017), the original occupation (emotional dimension t=3.309, P=0.001), education level (t =-2.210.P=0.029), physical condition (t=-2.988, P=0.003).5. Relationship of Mental Health and Social Support Situation:The total score of mental health and Correlation of social support has a positive linear correlation (R=0.223, P=0.007); 6. Comparison of different social support status and evaluating mental health status, objective support (t=3.160, P=0.002), subjective support (t=2.436, P=0.016), the utilization of support (t=2.875, P=0.004), medical convenience (t=6.744, P=0.000), mental health counseling(t=2.751, P=0.006), source of finance(t=2.224, P=0.027), living subsidies(t=2.928, P=0.004), weekly phone call(t=3.287, P=0.001), Elderly activity places O2.202, P=0.029).Conclusions:1. The mental health level of the elderly left behind in the rural areas is lower in Xingyi.2. The social support of the elderly left behind in the rural areas is lower in Xingyi.3. The mental health of the elderly left-behind in the rural areas in Xingyi is significantly related to social support, higher social support, and better mental health of them; on the contrary, more lower social support, and worse mental health.4. Different social support Situation and evaluation of the mental health of the elderly is different. Social support Situation and evaluation is better, the mental health of the elderly is better; on the contrary, Social support Situation and evaluation is worse, and the mental health of the elderly is worse.Policy recommendations:1. Lower mental health of the left-behind elderly, improve it by self-development and home improvement.2. The whole society should concern about the mental health status of the elderly left behind.3. Through the related Policy formulation of the national and functions, improve the mental health of the elderly left behind.