Journal of North Khorasan

Abstract Background & objectives: social support is predicated to perception of affection and support of family,friends and relatives. This study aimed to compare the social support in the elderly of home and nursing home of Hamedan. Material &Methods: In this cross sectional descriptive-analytic study, 177 elders of nursing home in Hamadan with a similar sample of elders’ home who were matched in gender, were compared. To gather the data, Social Support Appraisals Scale was used as well as Demographic Variables Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16. Results: 354 subjects participated in the study that consisted of 45.2% male. Results showed mean score of social support has significant difference in the elderly of home and nursing home of Hamadan (P < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results and the importance of social determinants of health, such as social support, it’s necessary to improve the quality of life of the elderly people in nursing homes with development, planning and policy making