The Study of the Impact of the Family Type on the Health Promoting Behavior and Physical and Mental Health of Elderly People

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of living alone on the physical and mental health of elderly people in the present situation of increase of seniors living alone. The mediating effect of health promoting behaviors was mainly examined. Data was collected by administering surveys to elderly people living alone belong to the support center for the elderly living alone and elderly people who use elderly welfare centers or senior citizen centers located in 3 districts of Seoul area. As a result, data from 208 elderly people living alone and 199 elderly people living with family members were used. Based on previous literature, the analytic model supposing the variance of living alone would affect on physical and mental health of elderly people directly or indirectly mediated by health promoting behaviors was developed and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results are as follows. The levels of health promoting behaviors and physical and mental health of elderly living alone are lower than elderly those of people living with family members. And the variance of health promoting behavior is mediating factor of the variance of living alone and the level of physical and mental health. From these results theoretical and practical implication for social work practice were discussed. Attentions to the health of elderly people living alone are needed and the systems for increasing the health promoting behaviors should be prepared and diffused for protecting health of elderly people living alone.