André Hajek1, Christian Brettschneider2, Carolin Lange3, Tina Posselt3, Birgitt Wiese4, Susanne Steinmann4, Siegfried Weyerer5, Jochen Werle5, Michael Pentzek6, Angela Fuchs6, Janine Stein7, Tobias Luck7, Horst Bickel8, Edelgard Mösch8, Steffen Wolfsgruber9, Kathrin Heser9, Wolfgang Maier9,10, Martin Scherer3, Steffi G Riedel-Heller7, Hans-Helmut König2. 1. Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. a.hajek@uke.de. 2. Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. 3. Department of Primary Medical Care, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. 4. WG Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Institute of General Practice, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. 5. Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany. 6. Institute of General Practice, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. 7. Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 8. Department of Psychiatry, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. 9. Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. 10. German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The causality between social predictors and HRQoL in old age remains almost unclear as only a few studies have examined the influence of social support on HRQoL in a longitudinal setting. Moreover, available studies investigating gender differences in the effect of social support on HRQoL in old age have been solely cross-sectional. Consequently, the aim of this study was to examine whether social support affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in old age and whether this effect is moderated by gender. METHODS: In a population-based cohort (N = 2443) of people aged 75 years and older in Germany, the development of HRQoL was prospectively observed over a 3-year period. Quality of life was quantified by using the visual analogue scale of the EQ-5D instrument. Social support was assessed by using the 14-item form of the questionnaire for social support (F-SozU K-14). In order to control for unobserved heterogeneity, fixed-effects regression analysis was used. RESULTS: In the total sample (β = 0.55, p < 0.05) and in men (β = 1.39, p < 0.001), a strong positive impact of social support on HRQoL was found. There was no significant effect of social support on HRQoL in women. The effect of social support on HRQoL was significantly moderated by gender (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings accentuate the fundamental role of social support in HRQoL in old age. Particularly in men, it is therefore crucial to strengthen the social ties in old age.
PURPOSE: The causality between social predictors and HRQoL in old age remains almost unclear as only a few studies have examined the influence of social support on HRQoL in a longitudinal setting. Moreover, available studies investigating gender differences in the effect of social support on HRQoL in old age have been solely cross-sectional. Consequently, the aim of this study was to examine whether social support affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in old age and whether this effect is moderated by gender. METHODS: In a population-based cohort (N = 2443) of people aged 75 years and older in Germany, the development of HRQoL was prospectively observed over a 3-year period. Quality of life was quantified by using the visual analogue scale of the EQ-5D instrument. Social support was assessed by using the 14-item form of the questionnaire for social support (F-SozU K-14). In order to control for unobserved heterogeneity, fixed-effects regression analysis was used. RESULTS: In the total sample (β = 0.55, p < 0.05) and in men (β = 1.39, p < 0.001), a strong positive impact of social support on HRQoL was found. There was no significant effect of social support on HRQoL in women. The effect of social support on HRQoL was significantly moderated by gender (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings accentuate the fundamental role of social support in HRQoL in old age. Particularly in men, it is therefore crucial to strengthen the social ties in old age.
Entities:
Keywords:
Gender differences; Health-related quality of life; Interaction; Longitudinal; Older people; Social support
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