English abstract
The present study aims to identify the level of mental health of elderly women in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate in Sultanate of Oman and to investigate whether there were differences of statistical significance in the level of mental health due to the variables of (social status, age, place of residence, educational level, previous experience and the monthly income). In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the researcher used a checklist of psychological symptoms localized by Abuhin (1992). The study sample consisted of (460) elderly women.
The study concludes with the following results:
- The level of mental health of elderly women in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate was between the high and medium level, where the physical symptoms, depression and anxiety reached a high level among them.
- As for other symptoms (obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other symptoms of general mental health, phobia, paranoia, interactive sensitivity psychosis, and enmity) all came at an average level.
- There are statistically significant differences between married elderly women and others (single, divorced and widows) on the scale of (physical symptoms, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interactive sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoia, psychosis) in favor of non-married (single, divorced and widows).
- There were statistically significant differences on the scale of (physical symptoms, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interactive sensitivity, depression, anxiety, enmity, phobia, paranoid, mental, and other expressions of mental health in general). They all came in favor of the age group of elderly women (70 - 74), except for the dimensions of (enmity and paranoid), which manifested differences in favor of the age group (75 and above).
- There are no statistically significant differences between elderly and educated women in all dimensions of the mental health scale.
- There were no statistically significant differences between the working and non-working elderly women in the dimensions of the mental health scale, except after (phobias) in favor of elderly working women.
- There were no statistically significant differences among elderly women, except after the interactive sensitivity which manifested differences in favor of elderly women with incomes below 200 OR.
