Abstract
Objective:
Despite evidence that social support is strongly related to health,
very little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association.
This study investigates whether physical activity, depressive symptoms,
and chronic diseases mediate the associations between social support and
functional capacity.
Method: Data from the Longitudinal Aging
Study Amsterdam on 954 participants, aged 75 and older, covering 9
years, are analyzed with latent growth mediation models.
Results:
Only the indirect path from the initial level of emotional support to
the initial level of functional capacity through the initial level of
depressive symptoms was significant. All mediators however were
significantly associated with the level of and changes in functional
capacity. Models with reversed pathways were estimated, but model fit
was worse.
Discussion: Because only initial levels of social
support relate to functional capacity, and changes in social support do
not, older adults likely receive the support they need.
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