本研究在比較城鄉地區老人的社會支持體系與健康狀況之差異，並探討社會支持體系對城鄉地區老人健康狀況的影響。以台北市萬華區及台北縣平溪鄉、石碇鄉為城鄉他區之對象母群，共抽出1,634人(城區736人，鄉區898人)，以結構式問卷進行面對面訪談收集資料，完成有效樣本1,448人(城區640人，鄉區808人)，訪視完成率88.6%。研究結果發現:城區老人在疾病程度、身體功能、心理健康顯著優於鄉區老人。城區老人在與配偶同住、與子女接觸、與親友聯絡、社團活動參與顯著高於鄉區老。城區老人在自覺獲得支持、負向互動顯著高於鄉區老人;但支持滿意度，城鄉地區則無顯著差異。社會支持體系與健康狀況的關係;城區方面，社會支持、社會網路對疾病程度沒有預測力;社團活動參與愈多者，其身體功能狀況愈好;社團活動參與愈多、負向互動愈低者，其心理健康愈好。鄉區方面，社團活動參與愈多、支持滿意度愈高者，其疾病程度愈低;與配偶同住、與子女接觸愈多、與親友聯絡愈多、支持滿意度愈高者，其身體功能狀況愈好;與配偶同住、與子女接觸愈多、支持滿意度愈高者，其心理健康愈好。

The purposes of this research are to compare the elderly social support system and health status differences between the urban and rural areas and to explore the social support system impact on health status of the elderly in urban/rural areas. Selected Wan-Hua area of Taipei City and Shin-ting Hsiang, Pin-His Hsiang of Taipei Hsien to represent the geographic characteristics, i.e. urban and rural areas. This study randomly selected 1,634 cases (736 in the urban area, 898 in the rural area). The date collected by face-to face interview with the self-developed structure questionnaire. The valid sample was 1,448 cases (640 in the urban area, 808 in the rural area), with completing rate of 88.6%. The results of the study found: the disease influence, physical function and mental health of elderly in the urban area were better than the rural area. The urban elderly had higher rate than the rural elderly in living with spouse, contacting with son and daughter, communication with relatives and friends, and involving in social activities. Regarding perceived social support, the urban elderly had more support than the rural elderly. The frequency of negative interaction of the urban elderly was higher than frequency of the rural elderly. There was no significant difference in support satisfaction between the urban and rural elderly. The correlation of social support system and health status: in the urban area, the social support and social network could not predict the perceived disease influence. Those who were more involved in the social activities tended to have less physical functions disabled. Those who were more involved in the social activities, with less negative interaction had better mental health. In the rural area: those who were more involved in the social activities, higher support satisfaction, had less perceived disease influence. Those who were living with spouse, more contact with son and daughter, more connection with relatives and friends, higher support satisfaction were likely to have less physical function disabled. Those who were living with spouse, more contact with son and daughter, higher support satisfaction had better mental health.