[The relationships between the elderly loneliness and its factors of personal attributes, perceived health status and social support].

The purpose of this study were to investigate the level of loneliness in elderly people and to explore relationships between loneliness and personal attributes, perceived health status and social support. Purposive sampling was used to recruit clients over 65 years of age from an outpatient department of the Municipal hospital and a senior citizen center in Kaohsiung city, and totaled 120 elderly people had participated in this study. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire which included the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Perceived Health Status Scale, and Social Support Scale. The results revealed the following: 1. The mean score was 38.4 (SD 9.6); level of loneliness in elderly people was moderate, and people who were male, uneducated, unsatisfied with living circumstance, unsatisfied with economic situation, and not attending social groups were more likely to have higher scores of loneliness. 2. There was a significantly negative correlation between perceived health status, mental health, health satisfaction, social support, supportive satisfaction and loneliness. 3. The results of multiple regression found that family interactions, attending social groups and supportive satisfaction were the significant predicting variables of loneliness, and "supportive satisfaction" was the most powerful predictor. Results generated from this study may act as references for mental health care for elderly people.