Social Support and Its Health- Related Out comes among Residents of Jimma City, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Evidence shows that social support is vital in maintaining good health and that socially isolated people get sick more often and have a more difficult time recovering from an illness. Social and psychological circumstances can cause long-term stress. Continuing anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem, social isolation and lack of control over work and home life have powerful effects on health. This is because our immune system is influenced by stress that comes due to social isolation. Thus, in this study, attempts were made to bring a light about social support and its health related outcomes in Jimma City. The study used a cross sectional research design in order to collect the necessary data. The target population for this study was all households who were residing in Jimma City. For this study, three kebeles were selected randomly from the total of 17 kebeles of the city. The total numbers of household of three kebeles were 4951, out of which a sample of 370 households were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected from three kebeles (Hermata, Ifa Bula and Bore) of Jimma City found in Oromia Regional State through questionnaires and interview. Then, the study employed descriptive and inferential method of data analysis. The findings demonstrated that households were “some of the times” get the four distinct types of social support such as emotional, Informational/advices, instrumental, and appraisal type of support. This data revealed that an emotional and informational type of social support were the most acknowledged type of support among the participants and appears to be more forthcoming in households in times of illness in the study area. In relation to household members who has been sick in the last 2 years, all (100.0%) participants replied that at least one member of their household has been sick in the past two years. Therefore, the results indicated that all household members in the study area need health related social support in times of illness. The results further showed that the majority of respondents, 100.0%, 93.6% and 84.9% of household heads revealed that relatives, friends and neighbor were respectively the first, the second and third source of social support in the study area. Finally, the finding of the study indicated that most of the respondents (96.7%, 100.0% and 98.4%) from Hermata, Bore and Ifa Bula kebeles were disclosed that the available social support had significant contribution for the household’s health status. Therefore, community based social support should be encouraged by stakeholders to improve the health related outcomes of households in the study area.