Age and gender differences in emotional and informational social support insufficiency for older adults in Atlantic Canada

Factors influencing emotional support of older adults living in the community: a scoping review protocol

BACKGROUND

Emotional support is key to improve older adults' subjective health, and psychological, social and emotional well-being. However, many older adults living in the community lack emotional support, increasing the risk for loneliness, depression, anxiety, potentially avoidable healthcare use and costs, and premature death. Multiple intersecting factors may influence emotional support of older adults in the community, but these are poorly understood. Studies have focused on specific populations (e.g., older adults with depression, cancer). Although relevant, these studies may not capture modifiable factors for the wider and more diverse population of older adults living in the community. Our scoping review will address these important gaps. We will identify and synthesize the evidence on factors that influence emotional support of older adults in the community.

METHODS

We will use the Johanna Briggs Institute updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews to guide our review process. We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA Psycinfo, CINAHL, Dissertations and Theses Global, and Scopus from inception. We will include studies published in English, examining factors influencing emotional support of older adults residing in community, without restrictions on the study design or year of publication. We will also include gray literature (dissertations and reports). Two independent reviewers will conduct title, abstract, and full-text screening, as well as risk of bias assessment, using validated quality appraisal tools based on study designs. Discrepancies will be resolved by consensus. The primary reviewer will extract the data from all studies, and the second reviewer will check the extractions of all the studies. We will use descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis for analysis. Family/friend caregivers and older adults involved as an advisory group will help with explaining the findings in terms of whether associations observed reflect their experiences and reality. We will analyze the discussion and generate themes, and summarize in a narrative form.

DISCUSSION

This scoping review may identify factors that could be modified or mitigated to improve emotional support provision for older adults residing in community. The knowledge will inform the development of tailored interventions directed to older adults and their caregivers.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4TAEB (associated project link: osf.io/6y48t).

Gender influence on loneliness and family and nonfamily support among older adults: The confounding role of widowhood

Based on interviews with 465 community elders in Ekiti-State, Nigeria, this study addressed the questions: (a) Do older men and women differ in self-reported loneliness, family and nonfamily support?; and (b) If so, is this relationship maintained when controlling for widowhood, age, social-engagements, extroversion, and neuroticism? Three independent models were tested using one-way MANOVA and MANCOVA. Compared to males, females reported more loneliness and less family support. However, these outcomes became nonexistent after excluding widowhood. Gender maintained significance after excluding other covariates. The study buttresses the primary importance of widowhood in the gender differences found in later-life loneliness and family supports.

Understanding Social Network and Support for Older Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study

Background

Older adults are the fastest growing age group worldwide and in Canada. Immigrants represent a significant proportion of older Canadians. Social isolation is common among older adults and has many negative consequences, including limited community and civic participation, increased income insecurity, and increased risk of elder abuse. Additional factors such as the social, cultural, and economic changes that accompany migration, language differences, racism, and ageism heighten older immigrants’ vulnerability to social isolation.

Objective

This mixed-methods sequential (qualitative-quantitative) study seeks to clarify older immigrants’ social needs, networks, and support and how these shape their capacity, resilience, and independence in aging well in Ontario.

Methods

Theoretically, our research is informed by an intersectionality perspective and an ecological model, allowing us to critically examine the complexity surrounding multiple dimensions of social identity (eg, gender and immigration) and how these interrelate at the micro (individual and family), meso (community), and macro (societal) levels in diverse geographical settings. Methodologically, the project is guided by a collaborative, community-based, mixed-methods approach to engaging a range of stakeholders in Toronto, Ottawa, Waterloo, and London in generating knowledge. The 4 settings were strategically chosen for their diversity in the level of urbanization, size of community, and the number of immigrants and immigrant-serving organizations. Interviews will be conducted in Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish with older women, older men, family members, community leaders, and service providers. The study protocol has received ethics approval from the 4 participating universities.

Results

Quantitative and qualitative data collection is ongoing. The project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada.

Conclusions

Comparative analyses of qualitative and quantitative data within and across sites will provide insights about common and unique factors that contribute to the well-being of older immigrants in different regions of Ontario. Given the comprehensive approach to incorporating local knowledge and expert contributions from multilevel stakeholders, the empirical and theoretical findings will be highly relevant to our community partners, help facilitate practice change, and improve the well-being of older men and women in immigrant communities.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/12616

Relationship between patient group participation and self-care agency among patients with a history of cardiac surgery: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Little is known regarding the influence of participation in patient groups on self-care in patients with a cardiac surgery history.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relationship between patient group participation and self-care among patients with a cardiac surgery history.

METHODS

Participants were 956 patients with cardiac surgery history from a patient group. Information on self-care agency, patient group participation, and health status was collected through a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

There were 566 valid responses. Participants were mostly male (76.4%), and the mean age was 70.6 years. A high social support level from a patient group was associated with each subscale of the self-care agency as follows: self-care operations (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.12), adjusting one's condition (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07), and attention to self-care (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.07).

CONCLUSIONS

Patient group participation may promote self-care performance in patients with a cardiac surgery history.