ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Saleh   S (*)
Zahedi Asl   M (1)






(*) Social Work Department, Social Sciences Faculty, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Social Work Department, Social Sciences Faculty, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Social Work Unit, Shari’ati Hospital, Jalal Al-e-Ahmad Highway, North Karegar Street, Tehran, Iran
Phone: +982184902288
Fax: +982188633039
salahadinsaleh@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  November  11, 2013
Accepted:  August 10, 2014
ePublished:  November 6, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


The Iranian veterans’ families suffer psychological and social problems [1-3]; and Iran-Iraq war has badly affected physical and psychological health of the veterans, as well as other people [4, 5]. The psychiatric veterans’ wives suffer from anxiety more than the wives of other psychiatric patients. The persons suffer high levels of physical symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social performance disorder, and depression [1, 2]. The psychiatric veterans’ wives suffer more aggression, depression, and anxiety disorders than other veterans’ wives [1-5]. … [6-12] The “social support” has been divided into emotional, instrumental, and information sets. Relatives, family, and friends provide services that make the person to have a feeling of care, being loved, self-esteem, and self-worth, and find themself as a part of communication network [13]. The dimensions of “social health” are social prosperity, social cohesion, social integration, social acceptance, and social participation [14].

The main part of the studies was done on the correlation between social support and health or illness. Social support of the psychiatric patients’ wives is the most important factor in enhancement of their health, sense of being good, and quality of life. There are correlations between higher levels of social support and lower levels of depression and anxiety; and it is thought that social support acts as a buffer against stress [6-9]. Social support and enhancement of the family awareness can enhance the acceptance of the patients in the family, reduce the recurrence of the disease, strengthen the family relationships, and prove welfare for the family members [10, 11]. Persons with more social support well resist the stressful events and they show less depression and mental confusion symptoms [12]. It seems that most of the studies on veterans’ problemsare more considered the veterans and their familys’ health and especially their wives have been neglected.

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between social support and social health of veterans’ wives.

This is a descriptive-correlational study.

The psychiatric veterans’ wives were studied in Tehran, Iran, in 2009.

6900 persons were included. The sample size was estimated 340 persons, based on Cochran’s formula. Stratified proportional sampling was done in 14 districts.

A two-section questionnaire was used. The first part investigated social support and its validity has been confirmed by the experts [15].The second part was the social health questionnaire, which has been standardized by former researchers [16-18]. To assess social health, 30 items were as “fully agree” (1 score), “agree” (2 scores), “no idea” (3 scores), “disagree” (4 scores), and “completely disagree” (5 scores), based on Likert’s five-point scale. Maximum and minimum scores were 150 and 30, respectively. Scores between 30 and 69, 70 and 109, and 110 and 115 showed low, average, and high social health, respectively. Reliability of the questionnaire was obtained 0.75. Emotional, instrumental, and information supports were three dimensions of social support and each one had 12 questions. The questions were assessed based on 5-point Likert’s scale as “very low” (1 score), “low” (2 scores), “average” (3 scores), “high” (4 scores), and “very high” (5 scores). The scores between 12 and 27, 28 and 44, and 45 and 60 showed low, average, and high support in each dimension, respectively. Totally, scores between 36 and 83, 84 and 132, and 133 and 180 evaluated as low, average, and high social support, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18 software, Kendall's Tau and Gamma tests (to investigate the correlation between academic level, age, and social support and social health), and Regression test (to determine portion and effectiveness of social support and academic level to predict changes in social health).

Mean age of the veterans’ wives was 53.2±14.2years. 59 persons (17.4%), 90 persons (26.5%), 86 persons (25.3%), and 105 persons (30.9%) were 35-39 years, 40-44 years, 45-49 years, and 50-55 years groups, respectively. 97 persons (28.5%), 151 persons (44.4%), and 92 persons (27.1%) had under diploma, diploma, and undergraduate educational level, respectively. The mean score of social support of the veterans’ wives was 21.2±27.11. In their viewpoints, the most important sources for social support were the family members at the first place and relatives and friends at the second place. 33 persons (6.8%), 131 persons (38.5%), 72 persons (21.2%), 63 persons (18.5%), and 51 persons (15%) had “very high”, “high”, “average”, “low”, and “very low” social support, respectively. The mean score of social health of the veterans’ wives was 12.59±16.24. 64 persons (18.8%), 77 persons (22.6%), 60 persons (17.6%), 73 persons (21.5%), and 66 persons (19.5%) had “very high”, “high”, “average”, “low”, and “very low” social health, respectively. There was no significant correlation between educational level and social health. Thus, the higher the educational level of the psychiatric veterans’ wives, the higher the social health. There was a significant correlation between social health and social support in the veterans’ wives. Thus, the higher the social support the veterans’ wives, the higher the social health. There was a significant correlation between each social support domain (emotional, information, and instrumental) and social health of the veterans’ wives. There was no significant correlation between age of the veterans’ wives and their social health (Table 1). The “social support” index could predict 49.6% of social health of the veterans’ wives,alone; and in association with educational level, it could predict 39.8% of their social health. The “educational level” index with social support could predict 37.8% of social health of the veterans’ wives.

The correlation between social support of the wives and their social health was confirmed which is to some extentconsistent with the research background and theoretical bases. There was a significant correlation between each one of the social support dimensions and social health of the veterans’ wives. Thus, the higher the emotional, information, and instrumental support the veterans’ wives, the higher the social health. The result is consistent with other researches [19-31].

Support groups and societies ought to be formed between the veterans’ wives, to help them to learn more about their emotions and worries and to enhance social support sources. Skilled consultants should be employed to enhance the family members’ awareness about proper behaviors towards the veterans through providing required special educations about characteristics of the psychiatric veterans for all the family members.

The restriction of sample size only to Tehran was one of the limitations of this study.

Higher the level of social support of veterans’ wives, higher the social health of them. From viewpoints of the veterans’ wives, family is the most important social support source.

The researchers feel grateful to Research Deputy of Tehran Martyrs and Veterans Foundation, the veterans’ family, and Mr. ZahediAsl PhD.

Non-declared

Non-declared

The study was funded by Research Deputy of Tehran Martyrs and Veterans Foundation.

TABLES and CHARTS

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