[Difference in impact of social support on morale and medical utilization between elderly with low activity of daily living and elderly with high activity of daily living].

The impact of social support on morale and medical utilization among elderly with low activity of daily living (ADL) were compared to those of elderly with high ADL. Social support was measured from three aspects--receiving emotional support, receiving instrumental support, and providing emotional support, all based on the individual perception of the elderly person. Subjects were 125 persons with low ADL obtained from a national random survey of 3,288 people aged 60 and over. They were matched with 125 high ADL people with the same age categories and sex. 1. Persons with low ADL had lower PGC-Morale Scale Score than persons with high ADL. In the low ADL group, the percentage who went to a physician less than 3 times during the past three months was 30.6%. 2. In the low ADL group, people who perceived receiving high emotional support to others also scored high in PCG-Morale Scale. People who perceived being able to provide emotional support to others also scored high in PCG-Morale Scale. In the high ADL group, only perception for receiving emotional support had an impact on the score. 3. Social support of any kind did not have an impact on medical utilization in either group.