Support in times of need: How depressive symptoms can impact receipt of social support among aging adults in rural South Africa

Abstract

The relationship between mental health and receipt of social support is not well understood in low- and middle-income countries. In this paper, we focus on a cohort of older adults (40-plus) in rural South Africa to unpack associations between mental health and receipt of social support, and the extent to which marital status modifies these associations. We use baseline data from a population-based study, Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI), conducted between 2014 and 2015. Our results suggest that men and women who report depressive symptoms are less likely to receive social support: women are less likely to receive emotional and financial support, and men are less likely to receive physical and financial support. Both men and women who are married or partnered are more likely to receive social support than their non-married counterparts. The association between depressive symptomology and receipt of social support differs for women who are separated/divorced and for men who are widowed. Specifically, the association between having depressive symptoms and receiving physical or financial support is more positive for separated/divorced women than their married/cohabiting counterparts; for men, the association between having depressive symptoms and receiving physical support is more positive for widowed men than their married/cohabiting counterparts. Our findings speak to the complicated associations between social support, marriage and mental health in later life and the different experiences that men and women may have.

The Effects of Social Support and Morbidities on Self-Rated Health among Migrant Elderly Following Children to Jinan, China

“…A complex relationship between social support, marital status, and mental health in later life was found. Specifically, social support and marriage were protective factors for mental health [15]. Long Thanh Giang's study among elderly Vietnamese men and women found that social support and social networks were positively correlated with self-rated health [16].…”

The double-edged role of accessed status on health and well-being among middle- and older-age adults in rural South Africa: The HAALSI study

“…This also aligns with other studies conducted in the same area, suggesting that having social ties to adult migrants, extra-household families, and neighbors may create advantages for accessing financial and physical supports ( Hosegood et al, 2007 ; Lu & Treiman, 2011 ; Schatz et al, 2015 ). Recent evidence has also shown the importance of social connectivity and supports in relation to older-aged cognitive and mental health, particularly for those with more beyond-household social contacts ( Harling, Kobayashi, et al, 2020 ; Jennings et al, 2020 , 2021 ). The findings from our study thus highlight another important aspect of network members’ socioeconomic status that may contribute to the well-being of middle-aged and older populations.…”

Who is at Risk? Social Support, Relationship Dissolution, and Illness in a Rural Context*

“…Social support arises from a wide array of family, friends, or community members, but spouses, when present, are considered a central source of support for older individuals (Ross and Mirowsky 2002). Being married, as compared to being divorced, widowed, or never married, may benefit older adults’ access to social support (Jennings, Ralston, and Schatz 2020).…”