The relationship between religiosity/spirituality, social support, and quality of life among elderly Chilean people

This study analyses the association between the various dimensions of religiosity and spirituality and the different aspects of quality of life in elderly Chilean people. It also evaluates the specificity of this association with respect to social support processes. The study involved a sample of 777 elderly people living in the far north of Chile. The results obtained via hierarchical regression analysis show a specific association of spirituality with quality of life. Religiosity only presents a specific association with quality of life in terms of the relationship between support from the congregation and satisfaction with social relationships. We conclude that religiosity and spirituality should be included in social work interventions.