Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Emotional Support and Self-rated Health among Chinese Elderly

Purpose: This study aimed to explore sex differences in the association between emotional support and self-rated health among the elderly.

Design: This was a cross-sectional survey based on the sub-project of China's National Basic Public Health Service Project-Health Management Services for the Elderly.

Setting: Participants were recruited from ten rural townships in Jingyuan County, Gansu Province, Northwestern China.

Subjects: 1405 subjects aged 60 or above.

Methods: Emotional support (consisting of 5 items) and self-rated health (evaluated by EQ-VAS) were investigated in this study. Multiple linear regression was conducted to consider the potential relationship.

Results: The frequency of children visit and the number of providers of emotional support were positively associated with self-rated health among older women (β = 1.13, 95%CI = 0.25-2.02; β = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.01-2.58), whereas the number of close friends had a positive association with self-rated health among older men (β = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.20-2.01). The number of close relatives and the frequency of seeking emotional support were not found to be associated with self-rated health among both older men and older women.

Conclusion: The study has found that the relationship between emotional support and self-rated health was differed by sex, calling attention to the need for sex-specific interventions.