Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
Volume 26, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 205-220

Subjective social support in older male italian-born immigrants in Australia (Article)

Stanaway F.F. , Kendig H.L. , Blyth F.M. , Cumming R.G. , Naganathan V. , Waite L.M.
  • a School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building (A27), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
  • b Ageing, Work, and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • c Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • d School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building (A27), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia, Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • e Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • f Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Abstract

This paper describes differences in subjective social support between older male Italian-born immigrants in Australia and their Australian-born counterparts. Data came from 335 Italian-born and 849 Australian-born men aged 70 years and over who participated in the baseline phase of the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP) in inner suburban Sydney, Australia. Social support was measured using the shortened (11 item) version of the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI). This index measures both social interactions and expressive social support. Logistic regression was used to examine differences in subjective social support between the two groups of men after controlling for other related factors. Italian-born men were about twice as likely to report low subjective social support compared to Australian-born men (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1. 8, p = 0. 0002). This difference remained after adjustment for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, social network and health factors (adjusted OR = 2. 1, p = 0. 0007). Italian-born men were more likely to report that they had no non-family members in the local area to rely on. However, lack of non-family supports did not remain significantly associated with perceived social support after adjustment for social interactions and depressive symptoms. Italian-born men were more likely to report low subjective support despite the presence of several protective factors such as a greater number of local family supports and a high rate of home ownership. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

Men Italian immigrants Social support Ageing

Index Keywords

depression Interpersonal Relations Australia psychological aspect risk human Odds Ratio Aged social support ethnology human relation Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants questionnaire Article Questionnaires migration Italy
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79955753024&doi=10.1007%2fs10823-011-9144-z&partnerID=40&md5=155c322ce6db5398fcba79a50269875d
DOI: 10.1007/s10823-011-9144-z
ISSN: 01693816
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English