Aims: Not only directly involved in the war people, but also
their families are exposed to the risk due to the mental and social effects. The present study was done to
investigate the correlation between social support and social health of
veterans’ wives.
Materials & Methods: The present
descriptive-correlational study was done on Tehran psychiatric veterans’ wives
in 2009. Sample size was calculated 340 and stratified proportional sampling
was done. A two-section questionnaire was used. The first section assessed
social support and the second section assessed social health. Data analyzed by SPSS
software and Kendall's Tau, gamma and regression tests.
Findings: The mean score of social support of veterans’ wives was 21.2±27.11.
The mean score of social health of veterans’ wives was 12.59±16.24. There was a
significant correlation between educational level and social health (p=0.05). There
was a significant correlation between social support and social health of veterans’
wives (p=0.001). There was a significant correlation between each social
support dimensions including emotional, informational, and instrumental and
social health of veterans’ wives (p=0.001). No significant correlation was
observed between veterans’ wives age and their social health.
Conclusion: Higher the level of social support of veterans’ wives higher
the social health of them. Family is the most
important social support source for veterans’ wives.