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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
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The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
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Loneliness, Support, and Care Models in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study
Vasiliki A Aslanidou1, George Charalambous2,1, Alexandra Skitsou3
1Health Unit Management, Frederick University, Nicosia, CYP.
Cureus
|August 4, 2025
Summary
Quality of perceived social support significantly impacts older adults' well-being, more than their care setting. This study highlights the importance of strong social connections for enhancing quality of life (QoL) in seniors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Comparing quality of life (QoL) and mental health in institutional vs. family-based eldercare in Greece.
- Investigating the influence of perceived social support and psychological loneliness on well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess QoL and mental health differences in older adults based on care setting.
- To determine the role of social support and loneliness in the well-being of seniors.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 600 adults aged ≥65 years.
- Utilized validated instruments: SF-12, MSPSS, and UCLA Loneliness Scale.
- Multivariable linear regression analysis performed using IBM SPSS Statistics.
Main Results:
- No significant QoL differences found between institutional and family-based care settings.
- Higher perceived social support and lower loneliness correlated with better QoL.
- Unexpected positive correlation between loneliness and physical health (p < 0.001).
- Men reported higher physical QoL than women (p = 0.025).
- Chronic illness and polypharmacy linked to lower QoL (p = 0.001).
- Urban residents and insured individuals showed better mental health (p = 0.003; p = 0.007).
Conclusions:
- Perceived social support quality is a more critical determinant of older adults' well-being than care environment.
- Findings advocate for relationship-centered models in eldercare to enhance senior well-being.
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