Dataset Information

Association of Social Support and Cognitive Aging Modified by Sex and Relationship Type: A Prospective Investigation in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

ABSTRACT: We examined whether between-persons differences and within-person changes in levels of social support were associated with age-related cognitive decline and whether these associations varied by sex and by relationship type. Executive function and memory scores over 8 years (2002-2010) were analyzed by mixture models among 10,241 adults aged ?50 years in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Between-persons differences and within-person changes in positive social support and negative social support were independently associated with cognitive decline in different ways according to sex and relationship type. Among men, higher-than-average positive social support from a spouse/partner was associated with slower cognitive decline (for executive function, ?person-mean×time-in-study = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.010; for memory, ?person-mean×time-in-study = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.000, 0.012); whereas high negative social support from all relationship types was associated with accelerated decline in executive function (for all relationships combined, ?person-mean×time-in-study = -0.005, 95% CI: -0.008, -0.002). For women, higher-than-average positive social support from children (? = 0.037, 95% CI: 0.010, 0.064) and friends (? = 0.115, 95% CI: 0.081, 0.150)-but not from a spouse/partner (? = -0.034, 95% CI: -0.059, -0.009) or extended family (? = -0.035, 95% CI: -0.064, -0.006)-was associated with higher executive function. Associations between social support and age-related cognitive decline vary across different relationship types for men and women.

SUBMITTER: Liao J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5860624 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Association of Social Support and Cognitive Aging Modified by Sex and Relationship Type: A Prospective Investigation in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Liao Jing J Scholes Shaun S

American journal of epidemiology 20171001 7

We examined whether between-persons differences and within-person changes in levels of social support were associated with age-related cognitive decline and whether these associations varied by sex and by relationship type. Executive function and memory scores over 8 years (2002-2010) were analyzed by mixture models among 10,241 adults aged ≥50 years in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Between-persons differences and within-person changes in positive social support and negative social s ...[more]

PMID: 28520853

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Project description:BackgroundHaving a network of close relationships may reduce the risk of developing dementia. However, social exchange theory suggests that social interaction entails both rewards and costs. The effects of quality of close social relationships in later life on the risk of developing dementia are not well understood.ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of positive and negative experiences of social support within key relationships (spouse or partner, children, other immediate family, and friends) on the risk of developing dementia in later life.MethodsWe analyzed 10-year follow up data (2003/4 to 2012/13) in a cohort of 10,055 dementia free (at baseline) core participants aged 50 years and over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Incidence of dementia was identified from participant or informant reported physician diagnosed dementia or overall score of informant-completed IQCODE questionnaire. Effects of positive and negative experiences of social support measured at baseline on risk of developing dementia were investigated using proportional hazards regression accommodating interval censoring of time-to-dementia.ResultsThere were 340 (3.4%) incident dementia cases during the follow-up. Positive social support from children significantly reduced the risk of dementia (hazard ratio, HR?=?0.83, p?=?0.042, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.99). Negative support from other immediate family (HR?=?1.26, p?=?0.011, CI: 1.05 to 1.50); combined negative scores from spouse and children (HR?=?1.23, p?=?0.046, CI: 1.004 to 1.51); spouse, children, and other family (HR?=?1.27, p?=?0.021, CI?=?1.04 to 1.56); other family & friends (HR?=?1.25, p?=?0.033, CI: 1.02 to 1.55); and the overall negative scores (HR?=?1.31, p?=?0.019, CI: 1.05 to 1.64) all were significantly associated with increased risk of dementia.ConclusionPositive social support from children is associated with reduced risk of developing dementia whereas experiences of negative social support from children and other immediate family increase the risk. Further research is needed to better understand the causal mechanisms that drive these associations.

Project description:A large body of cross-sectional evidence finds strong and consistent associations between social support and intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the directionality of this relationship has not been firmly established due to a dearth of longitudinal evidence. Using cohort study data collected over a 3 year period from 945 women in rural Pakistan, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between IPV and social support. Friend and family social support was measured with the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and IPV was measured with questions adopted from the World Health Organization's Violence Against Women Instrument, which was used to construct a measure of IPV severity. We estimated longitudinal associations in linear regression models that controlled for women's educational level, age at marriage, age, household composition, household assets, depressive symptoms, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. We found evidence of a bi-directional, mutually re-enforcing relationship that showed unique associations by type of social support. Specifically, we found that high social support from family, though not friends, decreased IPV severity 1 year later, and that higher IPV severity led to reductions in both friend and family social support 1 year later. Results suggest that interventions involving family members could be especially effective at reducing IPV in this context, and – given that low social support leads to many adverse health outcomes – results suggest that IPV can result in secondary harms due to diminished social support. In summary, our study confirms a bi-directional relationship between IPV and social support and suggests that IPV interventions that integrate social support may be especially effective at reducing IPV and mitigating secondary harms. Highlights • Directionality between social support and intimate partner violence (IPV) unclear.• Investigated bi-directional relationship between IPV and social support.• Used longitudinal cohort study data from rural Pakistan.• High social support from family, though not friends, decreased IPV severity.• Higher IPV severity led to reductions in both friend and family social support.

Project description:BackgroundResearch into men and masculinities suggests men may be more reluctant than women to state they are lonely, more reliant on partners/spouses and/or alcohol to tackle it, and that this may be a result of poorer social relationships. Ageing is often associated with loneliness, and research has indicated gendered results in older people, but existing evidence lacks generalisability and cultural context. This study tests hypotheses on sex differences in loneliness in older England-based men and women.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using a sample of 6936 respondents aged 50 + from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 8). Multiple imputation with chained equations was conducted to handle missing data. Multivariate regression was used to investigate the impact of sex on a direct question on loneliness whilst controlling for the University of California loneliness (UCLA) scale. Multivariate regression with interaction terms were used to examine sex differences in loneliness and alcohol consumption, partner status, and social relationships.ResultsOlder men were less likely than older women to state they are lonely even when controlling for UCLA score. Older men showed a greater association between loneliness and alcohol consumption, but only when measuring the number of units consumed in the last week, and not using a less precise measure of the past year. Older men who cohabited with a partner were less lonely than cohabiting older women, whereas previously married but not cohabiting older men were lonelier than their female counterparts. However, never married older men were less lonely than never married older women. Evidence was found to suggests older men's worse friendships mediated this association, but social isolation and number of close relationships did not. Severe isolation predicted greater loneliness in older women, but not older men.ConclusionsCultural ideals of masculinity and older men's poorer quality friendships may explain their reluctance to directly state loneliness, greater dependency on partners/spouses, and use of alcohol. Severely isolated older men may under-report loneliness on the UCLA scale as well as a direct question.

Dataset Information

Association of Social Support and Cognitive Aging Modified by Sex and Relationship Type: A Prospective Investigation in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Publications

Association of Social Support and Cognitive Aging Modified by Sex and Relationship Type: A Prospective Investigation in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

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