P Lei1, L Xu2, B I Nwaru3, Q Long4, Z Wu5. 1. Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Medical Insurance Office, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, People's Government of Xuhui District, Shanghai, China. 2. Centre for Health Statistics and Information, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China, Beijing, China. 3. Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. 4. Global Health Research Centre, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China. 5. Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zcwu@shmu.edu.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between components of social networks and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling old adults in urban areas in China. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the 4th National Household Health Survey (NHHS) in China, conducted in 2008, were used. HRQoL of respondents aged ≥15 years was assessed using EQ-5D in the NHHS. METHODS: The sample for the current analysis included 9833 old adults aged ≥60 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between indicators of social network and HRQoL. RESULTS: Approximately 6% of the respondents saw their children once a year or less, and approximately 1% reported that they had no children. Thirteen percent of the sample seldom contacted their neighbours and seldom met with relatives or friends; approximately 62% seldom attended social gatherings. The five dimensions of HRQoL (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression) were reported to be moderate or severe in 14.5%, 9.4%, 12.6%, 18.3% and 9.3% of the sample, respectively. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D index using the time trade-off method was 70.96 [standard deviation (SD) 14.79] and 0.869 (SD 0.163), respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, old adults with weaker social networks were more likely to report problems on EQ-5D dimensions, lower VAS scores and lower EQ-5D indexes. CONCLUSIONS: For old adults living in urban communities in China, increased social participation has a positive effect on various dimensions of HRQoL. There is a need for policy considerations that will improve integration of community-level public resources in order to encourage frequent social interaction among old adults, and promote health and social care as a whole.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between components of social networks and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling old adults in urban areas in China. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the 4th National Household Health Survey (NHHS) in China, conducted in 2008, were used. HRQoL of respondents aged ≥15 years was assessed using EQ-5D in the NHHS. METHODS: The sample for the current analysis included 9833 old adults aged ≥60 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between indicators of social network and HRQoL. RESULTS: Approximately 6% of the respondents saw their children once a year or less, and approximately 1% reported that they had no children. Thirteen percent of the sample seldom contacted their neighbours and seldom met with relatives or friends; approximately 62% seldom attended social gatherings. The five dimensions of HRQoL (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression) were reported to be moderate or severe in 14.5%, 9.4%, 12.6%, 18.3% and 9.3% of the sample, respectively. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D index using the time trade-off method was 70.96 [standard deviation (SD) 14.79] and 0.869 (SD 0.163), respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, old adults with weaker social networks were more likely to report problems on EQ-5D dimensions, lower VAS scores and lower EQ-5D indexes. CONCLUSIONS: For old adults living in urban communities in China, increased social participation has a positive effect on various dimensions of HRQoL. There is a need for policy considerations that will improve integration of community-level public resources in order to encourage frequent social interaction among old adults, and promote health and social care as a whole.
Authors: Ning Liu; Nadine E Andrew; Dominique A Cadilhac; Xuewen Yu; Zhe Li; Jue Wang; Yu Liang Journal: J Int Med Res Date: 2020-04 Impact factor: 1.671
Authors: Joyce Siette; Mikaela L Jorgensen; Andrew Georgiou; Laura Dodds; Tom McClean; Johanna I Westbrook Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2021-06-28 Impact factor: 3.921