[Model development of an elderly health promotion center: the effect of a social support program at a community health center].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a model of an elderly health promotion center after witnessing the effect of a social support program on dependent variables in older adults at a local community health center.

Method: The subjects were 60 female adults over 65 years dwelling in a rural area, and they were divided into experimental and control groups each with 30 people. A social support program was implemented 6 hours a day, 3 times a week, for 4 months in the experimental group. Included was health assessment, health education, counseling, consultation, exercise, physical & occupational therapy, primary care, recreation, lunch & transfer service. Data was collected from May 1st to September 14th, 2002 by questionnaires, and analyzed by x2-test, t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression using SAS.

Result: The social support program in the elderly was very effective on all dependent variables of physical health (t= 4.68, p= .001), health knowledge (t= 3.60, p= .001), life satisfaction (t= 8.65, p= .001), and health promoting behaviors (t= 5.23, p= .001).

Conclusion: The Social Support Program at a Community Health Center was effective on health promoting behaviors in the elderly.