Gender and Age Differences in Social Support: A Study of East German Migrants

Independent of traditional risk factors, psychosocial variables such as lack of social support and depression are known to predict coronary heart disease. A study was conducted to examine the current status of these factors and their changes over time in relation to gender and age among East German migrants in a two-year follow-up study initiated shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Longitudinal data were collected starting in September 1989. The second and third waves were conducted during the fall of 1990 and the fall of 1991. A total of 126 men and 109 women between ages 14 and 66 participated in all three waves. Young women reported receiving the highest social support, whereas middle-aged and older women indicated relatively low levels of support. Men of all ages reported similar levels of social support. Social support increased for both sexes during the follow-up period. Social support also predicted negative affect (depression and anxiety) and health complaints. Among women, those who related the most social support (younger women) also had the lowest levels of negative affect and health complaints. Men reported comparatively low levels of negative affect, and men who were older than 45 years indicated strikingly low levels of health complaints. Analyses predicting health complaints and depression by gender, age, and social support showed that women reporting low social support had the highest levels of depression and health complaints, whereas social support levels of men were unrelated to their depression and health complaints.