@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2008-2630    Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2020;12(2):101-107

Background
The majority of veterans have a lower quality of life than other people and face many problems that affect their families and society [4].
Previous Studies
...[5, 6]. It is usually the responsibility of spouses to cope with the physical and psychological problems of veterans. Therefore, in terms of mental health, physical veterans' wives are considered at-risk groups in society [7]. ...[8]. Veterans' wives' spiritual health and happiness are important, considering the basic role of women in the balance, peace, and excellence of the family and society, and the vital role of physical veterans' wives in the family [9]. Happiness is one of the factors that is directly related to a satisfying life [10]. ...[11-13]. As the most important factor concerning the social component of happiness, social support is a mental feeling about belonging, acceptance, and assistance from other people [14]. Social support can increase people's self-confidence and self-esteem [15]. …[16-23]. It is necessary to assess the happiness status of veterans' wives and its relationship with their perceived social support considering the vulnerability of veterans' wives, the significant effect of veterans' wives on family health, the role of social support in reducing psychological distress [22, 23], and the different levels of happiness in different communities.
Aim(s)
This study aimed to determine the relationship between happiness status and perceived social support in the physical veterans' wives.
Research type
This is a descriptive-correlation study.
Research society, place and time
The study's statistical population included all the wives of physical veterans with more than 40% of disability rate in Zanjan city, which according to the statistics of the Zanjan Martyr Foundation, were equal to 400 people in 2019.
Sampling method and number
The simple random sampling method was used to sample. The sample number was determined 188 people based on the studied relationship (correlation coefficient between happiness and social support equal to 0.24, a significance level of 5%, and study power of 90%) in the research of Babanazari [24].
Used devices&materials
The data collection tool was the three questionnaires consisting of demographic information questionnaire, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (29 items in 4 Likert-scale, scored from zero to 3), and Zimet's Social Support Questionnaire, which has 12 items in 5-scale consisting "strongly disagree" (score 1), "strongly agree" (score 5), merging the "strongly opposite" and "opposite" (score 4), no idea (score 2) and "strongly agree" and "agree" (score 3) [26]. This questionnaire has three dimensions of social support (4 items), friends support (4 items), and family support (4 items). Thirty questionnaires were distributed between the subjects randomly to evaluate the reliability. The happiness and social support questionnaires' reliability coefficients were estimated at 0.948 and 0.901 levels, respectively, using Cronbach's alpha test. The Oxford questionnaire has been translated into the Persian language by Alipour & Noorbala, and its validity and reliability for Iranian society have been confirmed [25]. According to their studies, 29 items in this list were highly correlated with the total score. Cronbach's alpha test for the list is calculated to be 0.91. A Persian version of the Zimet questionnaire was used, with validity confirmed by Salimi et al. [26]. In the implementation phase, data collecting was conducted after obtaining a permit and an introduction letter from the Vice-Chancellor's Office for Research of Zanjan University and the Martyr and Veterans Affairs Foundation of Zanjan city. For this purpose, the wives of physical veterans with more than 40% of disabilities in Zanjan city were invited to participate in the study and training program through coordination with the Martyr and Veterans Affairs Foundation of Zanjan city. Questionnaires were distributed among the subjects. The questionnaires were collected after filling by the subjects simultaneously with the implementation of a training program organized for veterans' wives through the Martyr Foundation. Before distributing the questionnaires among the subjects, the study's purpose was explained for them, and their satisfaction to participate in the study was confirmed. Literate individuals completed the questionnaires by the self-reported method. A trained researcher filled the questionnaire instead of the illiterate persons. The subjects' questionnaires, whose names were on the list but did not participate in the program, were filled by phone interview or during the interviewer's visit. SPSS 25 software was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentages, were used in this study. In the inferential part of the study, according to the level of variables measurement, the skewness and kurtosis were used to check the normality of data distribution, and a regression test was used for data analysis.
Findings by Text
In terms of age, 60.6% of the subjects were in the 45-54 age group, and 5.0% of the subjects were in the 25-34 age group, which were the highest and lowest rate, respectively. The average, minimum, and maximum age of the veterans' wives were 52.24±4.71, 25, and 67. 89.9% of the veterans' wives had a diploma and high school degrees, and 10.1% of the subjects had higher education. 169 (89.9%), 12 (60.4%), 7 (3.7%) of the subjects were housewife, employed, and retired, respectively. The mean of veterans' wives' happiness was 58.74±14.70 and the average perceived social support of veterans' wives was 43.38±10.16 (Table 1). The Pearson correlation coefficient test results showed a positive and moderate relationship between happiness and perceived social support of veterans' wives (r=0.41; p<0.01). Based on the multiple regression analysis results, the correlation coefficient for the linear combination of the dimensions of perceived social support components with happiness is MR=0.443, and the determination coefficient is RS=0.196, which is significant at the level of p<0.001. According to the coefficient of determination, 19.6% of the happiness variable variance is explained by the predictive variables of perceived social support dimensions (social support, friend support, and family support). Among the perceived social support, perceived support from society, friends, and family as predictive variables of happiness of veterans' wives, only the variable of family support predicts happiness. The multiple correlation coefficient for the linear combination of predictive variables is equal to MR=0.434 and RS=0.188, which is significant at the level of p=0.000.
Main comparison to the similar studies
Findings show that 55.9%, 3.2%, and 41% of veterans 'wives' happiness is at a very good, low, and acceptable level, respectively. This result is inconsistent with the findings of Ghahremani Khosroshahi, which reported happiness at a low level of 83.9% [27]. The level of perceived social support in 78.72% and 15.50% of veterans' wives were high and moderate, respectively. This finding is not in accordance with the results of Gharemani's research [27]. In the study of Ghahremani, the perceived social support in 49.5% of the subjects was high. Hojjati et al. and Saleh et al. in their research reported 25.19% and 27.11% of wives' support, respectively 28, 29], which is not in accordance with the results of this study. The result showed a positive and significant relationship between happiness and the perceived social support (r=0.41). Hosseini Amin et al. revealed that happiness increases with increasing social support [30]. Scofi Noghani found that veterans' wives' perceived social support has an important role in their happiness and quality of life [31]. The results also showed that 19.6% of the happiness variable variance was explained by the predictor variables of the perceived social support dimensions, such as community support, friend support, and family support. …[32, 33]. The findings of this study show that the components of social support have predictive power for happiness. The results of this finding are consistent with studies that have confirmed the predictive power of social support for happiness, positive emotions, and mental health [30, 31, 34, 35]. In a study, John & Joe concluded a positive relationship between support, gratitude, and kindness with happiness [36]. Fiontz et al. stated that the best predictors of happiness were emotional support for the family, instrumental support for indigenous communities, and satisfaction. The indicated cases revealed the direct and indirect impact of perceived social support on happiness.
Suggestions
The history of mental illness and depression or recent adverse events experienced by the subjects is not evaluated in this study. Therefore, these cases need to be considered in future researches. It suggested planning to emphasize the use of family potential to increase the level of happiness of veterans' wives.
Limitations
The perceived social support and its relationship with the happiness of the wives of veterans with more than 40% of disability were evaluated, so the results cannot be generalized to other groups of veterans with a lower percentage of disability.
Conclusions
Perceived social support increases the happiness of veterans' wives.
Acknowledgments
We thank the Vice Chancellor for Research of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, veterans' wives, and everyone who helped us in this research.
Conflict of interest
This article is retrieved from the thesis of Ms. Nasrin Shams from Zanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, entitled "investigating the relationship between happiness status and perceived social support in the physical veterans' wives in Zanjan city in 2019."
Ethical Permissions
In addition to the ethical considerations in the implementation process (obtaining the participants' informed consent and the confidentiality of the results), this study has been approved by the Martyr and Veterans Affairs Foundation of Zanjan with the code of IR.ISAAR.REC.1398.004. The Research Committee has also approved this study of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences with the code of IR.SMS.REC.1398.044.
Funding Sources
The researchers did not receive any funding from the Zanjan University of Medical Sciences or the Martyr Foundation.

TABLES and CHARTS

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