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Interpersonal Trust and Ability of Elderly Victims to Perform Activities of Daily Living in the Ya’an Earthquake Reconstruction Area, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2016

Ying Liang  and
Wei Ju
Ying Liang*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work and Social Policy, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Wei Ju
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Ying Liang, PhD, Department of Social Work and Social Policy, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China (e-mail: njulucy66@163.com).
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Abstract

Objective

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the socioeconomic status and interpersonal trust of elderly victims of the Ya’an earthquake on their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs).

Methods

Random sampling was done in the 8 counties of Ya’an in Sichuan, China (N=691). A multistage random sampling method was used. Samples were selected from counties, towns, and villages, respectively. The Faith in People Scale was used to measure interpersonal trust, and the Barthel ADL Index was used to measure ADLs. Both scales have strong reliability.

Results

A total of 37.34% of elderly earthquake victims relied on others moderately to live, and their self-rating of interpersonal trust was relatively unfavorable. Factors such as being female, being widowed, having a low educational level, and income negatively affected ADLs, among which education had the greatest influence. Interpersonal trust was vital in enhancing the level of ADLs of elderly victims.

Conclusions

A high level of interpersonal trust can significantly improve the ADLs of elderly persons. However, this may be achieved by weakening the negative effect of deteriorating social structure of victims. Attention should be focused on elderly victims whose social network worsens to improve their ADLs. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 7)

Keywords

health impact assessmentearthquakesnatural disasterspublic healthresiliencepsychological
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Issue 5 , October 2016 , pp. 739 - 745
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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