Social Support and Unmet Needs for Personal Assistance Among Community-Dwelling U.S. Chinese Older Adults: Does the Source of Support Matter?

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between social support sources and unmet needs among U.S. Chinese older adults. Data were from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Unmet needs were assessed by indexes of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Three specific sources of social support (spouse, family members, and friends) were included. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted. Approximately 17% of the 3,157 respondents reported having unmet ADL/IADL needs. U.S. Chinese older adults with less overall social support were more likely to have unmet ADL needs (odds ratio [OR]=0.91, 95% CI=0.83-0.99) and IADL needs (OR=0.84, 95% CI=0.81-0.88). Family and friend support were associated with a lower likelihood of having unmet ADL needs. Support from spouse, family, and friends was associated with a lower likelihood of having unmet IADL needs. The findings highlight the importance of informal social support in addressing unmet needs        .