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Buecker S, Neuber A. [Loneliness as health risk: a narrative review]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2024; 67:1095-1102. [PMID: 39115692 PMCID: PMC11424731 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-024-03939-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a significant health risk. This review provides an overview of current research on the impact of loneliness on mental and physical health. The findings indicate that loneliness is a significant risk factor of both mental and physical health. Previous reviews focusing on mental health effects reveal that loneliness is associated with the onset of depression, social anxiety, and cognitive decline. Furthermore, loneliness can impede recovery from mental disorders in general, which can be partly attributed to the bidirectional interplay between loneliness and mental health. Regarding physical health, consequences of loneliness have been mostly studied in relation to cardiovascular diseases. Loneliness predicts the onset of cardiovascular diseases and impedes recovery from them. Reviews also highlight that loneliness enhances the likelihood of suicidality and mortality. However, this article also points out the shortage of longitudinal studies, complicating the investigation into how loneliness causally affects future health problems. The health implications of loneliness outlined in this review, some of which are irreversible and can induce suffering and impairment, underscore the importance of interventions aimed at alleviating loneliness as a preventive strategy against both mental and physical illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Buecker
- Fakultät für Gesundheit, Department für Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland.
| | - Anne Neuber
- Fakultät für Gesundheit, Department für Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland
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2
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Gasull-Molinera V, Khan KS, Núñez Núñez M, Kouiti M. The impact of loneliness on mental and physical health outcomes: An umbrella review. Semergen 2024; 50:102261. [PMID: 38824784 DOI: 10.1016/j.semerg.2024.102261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Loneliness and related constructs associated with isolation are public health problems with increasing prevalence. The aim of this umbrella was to collate and grade evidence analyzing actual and subjective loneliness as a health risk factor. Following prospective registration, a systematic search was conducted in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Sciences, psycoINFO and Cochrane Library until August 2023. Systematic reviews assessing the association between actual and subjective loneliness with adverse health outcomes were selected. Risk of bias was evaluated using AMSTAR-2 tool. Data were tabulated and synthesis was narrative. A total of 13 systematic reviews was selected (four included meta-analysis). The methodological quality was critically low in 10 reviews (76.92%) and low in 3 (23.08%). Results showed that loneliness was related to poor well-being and increase the risk of negative mental and physical health. The available data suggested but did not allow the confirmation of a causal association. Most constructs of loneliness seem to be related to mental and physical health conditions. A preventive strategy ought to be recommended, especially for vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K S Khan
- Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Granada, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - M Núñez Núñez
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Biosanitary Research Institute (Ibs. Granada), 18012 Granada, Spain
| | - M Kouiti
- Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Granada, Spain; Laboratory of Health Sciences and Technologies, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Hassan First University of Settat, Settat 26000, Morocco.
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Bercovitz I, Salvatore GM, Mogle JA, Arigo D. Gender differences in relations between social comparison, social support, and sleep disturbance among midlife and older adults. Health Psychol Behav Med 2024; 12:2390939. [PMID: 39157430 PMCID: PMC11328798 DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2024.2390939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To examine associations between sleep disturbance, social support, and social comparison among midlife and older adults, including the moderating role of gender. Methods Adults ages ≥40 years (N = 557, MAge = 57, 53% men) completed a cross-sectional survey including validated measures of sleep disturbance, perceptions of social support, and social comparison orientation. Results Sleep disturbance was negatively associated with social support (rs = -0.42 to - 0.33, ps = 0.001) and associations were stronger for men than women - particularly perceived support from friends (η 2 = 0.01). Sleep disturbance was also associated with upward comparison orientation (r = 0.12, p = 0.003), more strongly for women than men (η 2 = 0.01). Discussion Findings indicate that perceived support from friends (for men) and upward comparison (for women) may have particular influence on sleep among midlife and older adults. Additional work is needed to clarify the nature of these associations and their mechanism(s) of action, to inform potential treatment adaptations for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Bercovitz
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Danielle Arigo
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ, USA
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Kim J, Hwang S. Separating the Effects of Transitions Into and Out of Social Isolation and Loneliness on Cognitive Function in Later Life. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2024; 79:gbae082. [PMID: 38742600 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study investigates the effects of social isolation and loneliness on cognitive function, distinguishing between the effects of transitioning into and out of these states. METHODS This study analyzed data from 6,663 adults aged 65 or older collected over the course of 7 waves (12 years) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging from 2006 to 2018. A novel asymmetric fixed effects model was utilized to separately estimate the effects of transitions into and out of social isolation or loneliness. RESULTS The association of transitions into social isolation due to a lack of informal social contact or loneliness with cognitive function (b = -1.387, p < .001 and b = -0.601, p < .001, respectively) was stronger than the association of transitions out of these states (b = 0.345, p < .05 and b = 0.353, p < .001, respectively). The magnitude of the negative and positive coefficients was statistically different (F-statistic = 45.29, p < .001 and F-statistic = 5.12, p < .05, respectively). In contrast, no such asymmetric effects were observed for social isolation due to a lack of formal activity (F-statistic = 0.06, p = .800). DISCUSSION The detrimental effects of transitioning into social isolation due to a lack of informal social contact (but not formal activity) or loneliness on cognitive function outweigh the beneficial effects of transitioning out of these states. Preventing the onset of social disconnection should be prioritized as an intervention to improve the cognitive function of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Kim
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungsik Hwang
- Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Jiang HX, Liu Y, Jiang JJ, Wei JH, Niu CC, Yu J. The relationship of social isolation and sleep in older adults: evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Aging Ment Health 2023; 27:2295-2304. [PMID: 37395111 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2023.2230919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the relationship between social isolation and sleep in later life and the role of loneliness in this relationship. METHODS In Study 1, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the correlation between social isolation and sleep in community-dwelling older adults (N = 108). This relationship was assessed using subjective and objective measures. Moreover, we examined the mediating role of loneliness cross-sectionally (Study 1) and longitudinally (Study 2). Longitudinal study was based on three waves of data from the National Scale Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 1, 554). RESULTS The results showed that social isolation was robustly associated with sleep in the general population of older adults. Specifically, subjective social isolation was associated with subjective sleep, and objective social isolation was associated with objective sleep. The results of the longitudinal study showed that loneliness mediated the reciprocal link between social isolation and sleep across time after controlling for autoregressive effects and basic demographics. CONCLUSIONS These findings address the gap in the literature on the link between social isolation and sleep in older adults, extending the understanding of improvement in older adults' social networks, sleep quality, and psychological well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Xin Jiang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun-Jie Jiang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun-Hua Wei
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Niu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Freilich CD. How does loneliness "get under the skin" to become biologically embedded? BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2023; 68:115-148. [PMID: 37800557 PMCID: PMC10843517 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2023.2260742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is linked to declining physical health across cardiovascular, inflammatory, metabolic, and cognitive domains. As a result, loneliness is increasingly being recognized as a public health threat, though the mechanisms that have been studied do not yet explain all loneliness-related health risk. Potential mechanisms include loneliness having 1.) direct, causal impacts on health, possibly maintained by epigenetic modification, 2.) indirect effects mediated through health-limiting behaviors, and 3.) artifactual associations perhaps related to genetic overlap and reverse causation. In this scoping review, we examine the evidence surrounding each of these pathways, with a particular emphasis on emerging research on epigenetic effects, in order to evaluate how loneliness becomes biologically embedded. We conclude that there are significant gaps in our knowledge of how psychosocial stress may lead to physiological changes, so more work is needed to understand if, how, and when loneliness has a direct influence on health. Hypothalamic-pituitary adrenocortical axis disruptions that lead to changes in gene expression through methylation and the activity of transcription factor proteins are one promising area of research but are confounded by a number of unmeasured factors. Therefore, wok is needed using causally informative designs, such as twin and family studies and intensively longitudinal diary studies.
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Bowker JC, Gurbacki JN, Richard CL, Rubin KH. Anxious-Withdrawal and Sleep Problems during Adolescence: The Moderating Role of Peer Difficulties. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:740. [PMID: 37754018 PMCID: PMC10525876 DOI: 10.3390/bs13090740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxious-withdrawal is a well-established individual risk factor for psychosocial difficulties during adolescence. It is unknown, however, whether it also places youth at increased risk for physical health problems, such as sleep difficulties. This study examines the concurrent and prospective associations between anxious-withdrawal and six types of sleep difficulties (i.e., sleeping too much, sleeping too little, talking/walking in sleep, being overtired, nightmares, and general trouble sleeping). We further evaluate whether these associations differ for adolescents who are high versus low in exclusion and victimization. The participants were 395 adolescents (Mage = 13.61 years; 35% ethnic minority) who completed peer nominations of anxious-withdrawal, exclusion, and victimization at Time 1 (T1). Their mothers completed reports of sleep difficulties at T1 and at Time 2 (T2). Path analyses revealed unique associations between anxious-withdrawal and several types of sleep difficulties (e.g., sleeping too much) at T1. Analyses also revealed a significant interaction effect between T1 anxious-withdrawal and exclusion/victimization such that anxious-withdrawal was prospectively associated with trouble sleeping only for those young adolescents who are highly excluded/victimized. Our findings are the first to link anxious-withdrawal to a physical health outcome in adolescence and point to the need for future research to not only examine anxious-withdrawal and physical health but also to include assessments of peer difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C. Bowker
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4110, USA; (J.N.G.); (C.L.R.)
| | - Jessica N. Gurbacki
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4110, USA; (J.N.G.); (C.L.R.)
| | - Chloe L. Richard
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4110, USA; (J.N.G.); (C.L.R.)
| | - Kenneth H. Rubin
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
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Buczak-Stec E, König HH, Hajek A. Sexual Orientation and Psychosocial Factors in Terms of Loneliness and Subjective Well-Being in Later Life. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2023; 63:338-349. [PMID: 35724421 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to fill the gap in knowledge regarding the association between sexual orientation and psychosocial outcomes (loneliness and subjective well-being) based on nationally representative samples. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional data collected in 2017 were taken from a nationally representative sample of individuals in the second half of life (>40 years) in Germany (n = 4,785, average age 66.4 years, standard deviation [SD]: 10.5 years). Outcomes were assessed using well-established tools (life satisfaction: Satisfaction with Life Scale; positive and negative affect: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; loneliness: De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale). Sexual orientation was dichotomized (heterosexual; sexual minorities including gay/lesbian, bisexual, and other). Analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic factors, lifestyle-related factors, and health-related factors. RESULTS In total, around 7.8% of respondents belonged to sexual minorities. Adjusted for various several socioeconomic, lifestyle-related and health-related covariates, linear regressions showed that sexual minority older adults reported higher loneliness scores (β = 0.07, p < .05), whereas sexual orientation was not associated with subjective well-being (life satisfaction, as well as positive and negative affect). Furthermore, our analysis showed that gender, age, marital status, and depressive symptoms were consistently associated with loneliness and subjective well-being. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS In accordance with minority stress theory, our study showed that sexual minority older adults report higher loneliness scores. This finding is important as loneliness has become widely acknowledged as a new geriatric giant, which could increase, for example, the risk of morbidity and mortality. Moreover, reducing loneliness is important for successful aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Buczak-Stec
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
| | - André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
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9
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Gyasi RM, Abass K, Segbefia AY, Afriyie K, Asamoah E, Boampong MS, Adam AM, Owusu-Dabo E. A two-mediator serial mediation chain of the association between social isolation and impaired sleep in old age. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22458. [PMID: 36577767 PMCID: PMC9797554 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor sleep is a long-term public health issue that has become increasingly prevalent among socially isolated older adults. However, research on the mechanisms explaining the link between social isolation and impaired sleep (IS) remains limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the serial mediating effects of loneliness and mental distress on the association of social isolation with IS among Ghanaian older adults. We analyzed data from 1201 adults aged ≥ 50 from Ghana's AgeHeaPsyWel-HeaSeeB study (mean age = 66.14, SD = 11.85, age range = 50-111; women = 63.28%). Measures included the UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale, modified Berkman-Syme Social Network Index, Sleep Quality Scale, and Mental Distress Questionnaire. We used bootstrapping techniques from Hayes' PROCESS macro program to estimate the hypothesized serial mediation. Social isolation was significantly associated with IS (β = 0.242, p < 0.001). Crucially, social isolation indirectly predicted IS via three significant mediating pathways. Loneliness accounted for 17.6% (β = 0.054, CI = 0.096, 0.016), mental distress accounted for 6.5% (β = 0.020, 95% CI = 0.004, 0.040), and loneliness and mental distress accounted for 32.2% (β = 0.099, 95% CI = 0.065, 0.138) of the overall effect. The total mediating effect was 56.4%. These findings suggest that the social isolation-sleep link is respectively and serially explained by loneliness and mental distress. Social integrative interventions for sleep quality in old age should target mental and emotional well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razak M Gyasi
- Aging and Development Program, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Manga Close, Off-Kirawa Road, P. O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
- National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
| | - Kabila Abass
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Yao Segbefia
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Afriyie
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Edward Asamoah
- Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Mary Sefa Boampong
- Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Anokye M Adam
- Department of Finance, School of Business, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Ellis Owusu-Dabo
- School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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Hajek A, König HH. Loneliness, perceived isolation and sleep quality in later life. Longitudinal evidence from a population-based German study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2022; 103:104795. [PMID: 36058046 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To date, there is restricted knowledge regarding the association between loneliness, perceived social isolation and sleep quality based on longitudinal studies. Our aim was therefore to clarify the association between loneliness, perceived social isolation and sleep quality stratified by sex using a longitudinal approach. METHODS Longitudinal data (wave 5 and wave 6) were used from a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling individuals ≥ 40 years in Germany. In our analytical sample, n equaled 8784 observations. The Bude and Lantermann tool was used to quantify perceived social isolation and the De Jong Gierveld tool was used to measure loneliness. Relying on key items of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, sleep quality was assessed. RESULTS Increases in loneliness were associated with worsening sleep quality (in men: in two outcomes; in women: in all three outcomes). Moreover, in men, increases in perceived social isolation was associated with decreases in overall sleep quality (β = 0.10, p < 0.01), but not with the other outcomes. In contrast, perceived social isolation was not associated with changes in any of the outcome measures in women. CONCLUSIONS Increases in loneliness were particularly associated with worsening sleep quality among women, whereas the overall sleep quality decreases when perceived social isolation increases in men. Efforts to reduce perceived social isolation (men) and loneliness (in men, but particularly in women) can contribute to sleep quality in individuals aged 40 years and over in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany.
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany
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Araj-Khodaei M, Sanaie S, Nejadghaderi SA, Sullman MJM, Samei-Sis S, Taheri-Targhi S, Yousefi Z, Matlabi H, Safiri S, Azizi-Zeinalhajlou A. Profile of Tabriz Older People Health Survey (TOPS-2019): a representative community-based cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17879. [PMID: 36284173 PMCID: PMC9596475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22710-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Population aging and its consequences are a substantial global concern. The growth in the number of older people is one of the most important factors increasing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on society. The Tabriz Older People Health Survey aimed to understand the socio-demographics, health-related behaviors, and health profile of older adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of 1362 community-dwelling older adults in Tabriz, the most populated city in northwest Iran. The study used probability proportionate to size sampling and the data collection was undertaken in each participants' place of residence from July 2019 to January 2020. Trained interviewers administered the questionnaire, which measured each participant's socio-demographics, health-related behaviors, and health profile. The sample of 1362 participants consisted of 56.4% women and 54.4% were young older people (60-69 years old). Almost half of the sample were completely illiterate. There was no daily walking in 13.3% of the sample, with women reporting a more sedentary lifestyle than men. Almost 10% of the participants (n = 135, 9.9%) were current smokers, which was higher among men (20.9% vs. 1.5%) and women made up over 88% of those living alone. In terms of sleep quality score (men: 4.63 ± 2.70, women: 5.97 ± 2.93), anxiety (men: 5.79 ± 4.70, women: 7.59 ± 5.51), depression (men: 9.54 ± 3.20, women: 10.63 ± 3.09), and social support (men: 23.65 ± 4.50, women: 22.69 ± 4.77), men were significantly better than women. There were also significant sex differences between women and men in the prevalence of diabetes (31.6% vs. 19.5%) and hypertension (86.5% vs. 73.4%). Furthermore, overall hypertension was the most common underlying disease (81.0%). Older women were significantly worse off than older men, in terms of social and disability-related, as well as having a higher burden from several NCDs. The results of this study might help regional health policymakers to identify targets for improving the health status among community-housed geriatrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Araj-Khodaei
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sarvin Sanaie
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Expert Group (SRMEG), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mark J M Sullman
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sirous Samei-Sis
- Student Research Committee, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Somaiyeh Taheri-Targhi
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Zahra Yousefi
- Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Matlabi
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Geriatric Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeid Safiri
- Neurosciences Research Center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Akbar Azizi-Zeinalhajlou
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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