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Social exclusion of older people in deprived urban communities of England.

ABSTRACT: Addressing the causes and consequences of social exclusion represents a key theme in European social policy, reflecting growing awareness of the social costs which arise when individuals, families and communities become cut off from wider society. Conceptually, however, social exclusion remains underexplored in gerontology. The article suggests that exclusion represents a useful means of exploring the situation of older people in different environmental settings. Social exclusion in old age is conceptualised as a multi-dimensional phenomenon comprising of: exclusion from material resources; exclusion from social relations; exclusion from civic activities; exclusion from basic services; and neighbourhood exclusion. Drawing on a survey of 600 people aged 60 and over in deprived neighbourhoods of three English cities, the article develops indicators to represent each dimension of exclusion and seeks to assess the nature of social exclusion faced by older people in deprived neighbourhoods. Results reveal a considerable proportion of older people experiencing social exclusion in at least one form. The sample fell into three categories: 33% were not excluded on any of the five domains; 31% experienced exclusion on a single domain; 36% were vulnerable to the cumulative impact of multiple forms of exclusion. Multiple social exclusion was significantly correlated with respondents' ethnic origin, educational status, housing tenure, perceived health status and quality of life. It is concluded that social exclusion represents a useful means of depicting disadvantage experienced by older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, and that it would be useful to extend the analysis to other types of residential setting.

SUBMITTER: Scharf T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5547677 | biostudies-other | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:OBJECTIVES:Social isolation is a particular problem among older people and social participation may reduce future isolation. However, it is unclear which types of activities and which level of participation are effective. This study examines the relationship between social participation and isolation among Japanese older people by employing a 3-year longitudinal study. METHODS:A mail survey was sent to 3,518 community-dwelling older people in an urban area in 2014 (baseline: BL). We then conducted follow-up mail survey on respondents who were non-isolated at BL in 2017 (follow-up: FL), with isolation being defined as being in contact with others less than once a week. An analysis was carried out on 1,070 subjects (398 men and 672 women). Social participation is defined by participation in group activities (community, senior club, hobbies, sports, volunteering, politics, industry, and religion). A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between the types of social participation and the number of organization types at BL, and isolation at FL. RESULTS:At FL, 75 men (18.8%) and 59 women (8.8%) were considered to be isolated. Among the men, participation in a hobby group and sports group both significantly reduced the degree of isolation. Moreover, participation in two organizations and three or more organizations significantly lowered the risk of isolation when compared to non-participants. Among women, there were no significant associations among particular types of social activities and isolation. On the other hand, participation in one organization and three or more organizations significantly reduced their isolation when compared to non-participants. There was a significant linear trend between the number of types of organizations and isolation, regardless of gender. CONCLUSIONS:Participation in social activities reduces future isolation in older people. Encouraging participation in social activities could help reduce negative health outcomes associated with social isolation later in life.

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Social exclusion of older people in deprived urban communities of England.

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