Religiosity, social support, and health among the elderly in Kuwait

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between religiosity, social support, and health among the elderly in Kuwaiti society. Data was collected from 1472 adults over the age of 60 years old by trained nurses. Interviews were held with the help of the closest person to the participant at home. Sociocultural, demographic information and other variables were used. Data show that the respondents with a high degree of religiosity had high social support from their friends and relatives, more frequency of contact, and more strength in their relationships with them. The data also show that the respondents with a high degree of self-reported religiosity have a lower mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements than did the respondents with a low degree of religiosity. The results show the impact of the degree of religiosity on the elderly's daily life and well-being.