title: Loneliness and depression among the elderly in an agricultural settlement: mediating effects of social support.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Loneliness has long been known to have strong association with depression. The relationship between loneliness and depression, however, has been associated with other risk factors including social support. The aim of this paper is to describe the role of social support in the association between loneliness and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study examined the mediating effects of social support among 161 community-based elderly in agricultural settlement of a rural area in Sungai Tengi, Malaysia. Subjects were investigated with De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale and Medical Outcome Survey Social Support Survey. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, linear and hierarchical regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated that social support partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This suggests that social support affects the linear association between loneliness and depression in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wan Mohd Yunus
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wan Mohd Azam
authors.forename: Normah Che
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Din
authors.forename: Mahadir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Shazli Ezzat
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ghazali
authors.forename: Norhayati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Zaini
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: Ahmad Rohi
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ghazali
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahar
authors.forename: Rosdinom
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Razali
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maniam
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support
keywords: depression; elderly; loneliness; rural community; social support