Dataset Information

Association between social capital and loneliness among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province, China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We aimed to examine the association between social capital and loneliness in Anhui Province, China.

Methods

Data were collected from a cross-sectional study using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy. Data on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, social capital, and loneliness in 1810 older adults (aged 60?years and older) were used for analysis. Binary logistic regression models and a classification and regression tree model were performed to assess the association of social capital and loneliness.

Results

Our results indicated that social capital in terms of lower level of social participation (AOR?=?1.38; 95% CI: 1.10-1.74), social connection (AOR?=?1.51; 95% CI: 1.18-1.93), and reciprocity (AOR?=?1.47; 95% CI: 1.13-1.90) were associated with higher odds of developing loneliness. We noted the interactive effect of different social capital dimensions on loneliness, suggesting that the risk for suffering loneliness was greatest in older people limited in functional ability, with less trust, less social connection, and less social participation.

Conclusions

Our findings show that social capital is associated with loneliness in older adults. This implies that social capital, especially in terms of trust, social connection, and social participation may be significant for alleviating loneliness in later life.

SUBMITTER: Bai Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7791664 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Association between social capital and loneliness among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province, China.

Bai Zhongliang Z Wang Zijing Z Shao Tiantai T Qin Xia X Hu Zhi Z

BMC geriatrics 20210107 1

<h4>Background</h4>We aimed to examine the association between social capital and loneliness in Anhui Province, China.<h4>Methods</h4>Data were collected from a cross-sectional study using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy. Data on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, social capital, and loneliness in 1810 older adults (aged 60 years and older) were used for analysis. Binary logistic regression models and a classification and regression tree model were performed t ...[more]

PMID: 33413141

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Project description:OBJECTIVE:To examine the association between social capital and the health of male and female left-behind older adults in rural China. STUDY DESIGN:This cross-sectional study among the left-behind older adults aged 60 and older and with all their children working outside of Hubei, Shaanxi and Guangdong provinces in China was conducted in 2017-2018. A total of 1106 questionnaires were collected (participation rate=100.0%), and questionnaires from 1016 participants were used (effective rate=91.9%). METHODS:An ordinary least squares model was used to evaluate the association between social capital and health. Social capital included family trust, friend/neighbour trust, stranger trust, social participation, and network size and density. Health outcomes included basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) and depression. RESULTS:Elevated family trust, friend/neighbour trust, stranger trust, high-level participation and middle-level network density were associated with reduced depression (b=-3.23, p<0.001; b=-0.41, p<0.001; b=-0.76, p<0.01; b=-1.04, p<0.05; b=-0.74, p<0.05, respectively). High-level participation and network density were also associated with elevated BADL (b=0.16, p<0.05; b=0.24, p<0.05, respectively). Elevated family trust (b=-2.86, p<0.05 in men; b=-3.86, p<0.001 in women), stranger trust (b=-0.68, p<0.05 in men; b=-0.80, p<0.05 in women) and high-level participation (b=-0.92, p<0.05 in men; b=-1.22, p<0.01 in women) were associated with reduced depression in both sexes. By contrast, elevated friend/neighbour trust was associated with reduced depression (b=-0.56, p<0.001) in women, high-level participation was associated with elevated BADL (b=0.19, p<0.05) and IADL (b=0.43, p<0.05) in men, and high-level network density was associated with elevated BADL (b=0.44, p<0.05) and IADL (b=0.57, p<0.05) and reduced depression (b=-1.05, p<0.05) in women. CONCLUSIONS:Social capital is closely related to left-behind older adults' health in rural China. More attention should be paid to increasing the stock of social capital in this special population, with a particular focus on the sex disparity.

Project description:BackgroundLoneliness has become a significant public health concern for older people. However, little is known about the association of loneliness, loneliness literacy, and changes in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic with mental well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore whether loneliness literacy is related to a lower risk of loneliness, increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and improved mental well-being for community-based older adults.MethodsA telephone survey was conducted to collect data from older adults aged 65 years or older in Taiwan (n = 804). Loneliness, change in loneliness during COVID-19, and loneliness literacy were the main variables. Mental well-being was assessed by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Related factors included personal level (demographics, health conditions, health behaviors, and problem-focused/ emotion-focused coping strategies), interpersonal level (marital status, living arrangements, social support, social participation, leisure activities, and social interactions during COVID-19), and societal level (areas and regions) factors.ResultsFour dimensions of loneliness literacy were identified by factor analysis: self-efficacy, social support, socialization, and in-home support. Self-efficacy and in-home support were related to lower loneliness. Lower self-efficacy, higher social support, and higher socialization were related to changes (increases) in loneliness during COVID-19. In-home support may prevent depressive symptoms, while self-efficacy was beneficial for better life satisfaction. In addition, emotion-focused coping may increase loneliness during COVID-19, while satisfaction with family support would be a protective factor against loneliness.ConclusionLoneliness literacy is related to loneliness and increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building up an age-friendly community with embedded services/information and learning positive coping and mental resilience strategies are suggested.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Little is known about social capital and health among older adults in South Africa. This study investigates the association between social capital and several health variables, namely: self-rated health, depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning and physical inactivity, among older South Africans. METHODS: We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a national probability sample of 3840 individuals aged 50 years or older who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE wave 1) in 2008 in South Africa. Measures included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, cognitive functioning and physical activity. Social capital was assessed with six components, namely: marital status, social action, sociability, trust and solidarity, safety, and civic engagement. RESULTS: The social capital assessment revealed that 56% of the respondents were married or cohabiting, 45% reported low (0) social action, 42% reported medium (2-3) sociability, 43% reported high (2) trust and solidarity, 50% reported high (2-4) civic engagement and 42% reported medium (6) psychological resources. In multivariate analysis, self-reported good health was associated with younger age, having secondary education and higher social capital (being married or cohabiting, high trust and solidarity and greater psychological resources). Depressive symptoms were associated with lower social capital (not being married or cohabiting, lack of high trust and solidarity and low psychological resources). Better cognitive functioning was associated with younger age, higher educational level, greater wealth and higher social capital (being married or cohabiting, high trust and solidarity, lack of safety, higher civic engagement and greater psychological resources). Physical inactivity was associated with older age and lower social capital (lower social action, lack of safety, lower civic engagement and poorer psychological resources). CONCLUSIONS: Given the basis of these findings on cross sectional data and subsequent limitation, it was found that these study findings mimic the findings of many European and American studies. Social capital among the elderly generation in South Africa is imperative for better health.

Project description:ObjectiveWe aimed to explore the correlation between functional disability and quality of life (QoL). And exploring the interaction of functional disability, basic demographic characteristics and health-related information on QoL among the rural elderly in Anhui Province.MethodsThis study used multi-stage stratified cluster sampling in rural Anhui Province from January to July 2018 to conduct a cross-sectional survey of older adults who met the inclusion criteria. The Five-Dimensional European Quality Of Health Scale (EQ-5D) and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS2.0) scale were used to evaluate the QoL and functional disability, and the basic demographic characteristics of the survey subjects were also collected. Using binary logistic and Classification and regression tree model (CART) models to analyze the data, explore the relationship between functional disability and QoL in the elderly.ResultsA total of 3491 older adults were included in the survey, and 3336 completed the entire survey, with an effective response rate of 95.56%. After adjusting for covariables, those who had limited in dimension of mobility (AOR=2.243, 95%CI: 1.743-2.885), getting along (AOR=1.615, 95%CI: 1.173-2.226), life activities (AOR=2.494, 95%CI:1.928-3.226), and social participation (AOR=2.218, 95%CI: 1.656-2.971) had a lower QoL. However, the dimension of cognition (AOR=0.477, 95%CI: 0.372-0.613) is a protective factor for QoL. Additionally, we also observe that 96.3% of those who were unemployed and limited in both mobility and life activities dimensions had a lower QoL, but among those who were robust in both mobility and social participation dimensions and not suffer from chronic diseases, 56.3% had a higher QoL.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that special attention should be paid to the elderly who are unemployed, have limited in cognition, getting along, social participation, mobility, life activities and cognition robust to improve their QoL. This research is of great significance for formulating targeted strategies and measures to improve the QoL for rural elderly.

Dataset Information

Association between social capital and loneliness among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province, China.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Association between social capital and loneliness among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province, China.

Similar Datasets

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