Giving social support to outside family may be a desirable buffer against depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: Japan gerontological evaluation study

Living in public rental housing is healthier than private rental housing a 9-year cohort study from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

Housing tenure is an important aspect to determine health. However, even though renters tend to have more socioeconomic disadvantages than homeowners, mortality risk between private and public renters compared with homeowners remains unclear. Japanese public rented housing, such as the Urban Renaissance Agency, has been developed for supplying an adequate living environment since 1950s. This study aimed to examine the mortality risk among older Japanese residents living in private and public rented houses compared with those living in owner-occupied houses using 9-year follow-up data. This study drew upon a 9-year follow-up of participants in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a population-based cohort study of Japanese independent adults aged ≥ 65 years. Mortality from 2010 to 2019 was analyzed for 44,007 respondents. Housing tenure was defined by a questionnaire. Cox regression models were used for calculating the hazard ratio for mortality. Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple testing between rental houses. Overall, 10,638 deaths occurred during the follow-up period. Compared with housing owners, all rental housing groups had a significantly higher risk of mortality. Among renters, participants who lived in public rental housing had the lowest risk of mortality even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, social status, and environmental status. Multiple testing among renters with Bonferroni correction showed that public renters had 0.80 times (95% CI 0.72-0.89) lower mortality risk than private renters. Although Japanese older adults living in public rental housing had a higher mortality risk than homeowners, this risk was lower than that among private renters. A positive neighborhood environment based on well-planned urban development may have contributed to this result. The results suggest that planned urban development lowers the risk of mortality in older renters in Japan.

Does social participation foster social support among the older population in Japan? A three-year follow-up study from the Japan gerontological evaluation study

•Whether social participation has generated new, healthier social support is unclear.•We prospectively examined whether social participation fosters social support.•Social support was dose-responsive to the number of types of social participation.•Social support was fostered by participating in some type of group at any frequency.•Support to encourage social participation may be effective to enhance social support.

The Influence of Providing and Receiving Social Support on Older Adults' Well-being

Introduction

Social support is a leading contributing factor for older adults' well-being. The present study aimed to compare the impact of two-way (providing and receiving) social support on the well-being of Iranian older adults.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 1280 community-dwelling older adults in Tehran, Iran, 2020. The researcher used the clustered sampling method and the 2-way Social Support Scale (SSS) to collect samples and measure social support, respectively. The well-being was measured by the self-reported World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Bivariate and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to compare the effects of social support aspects on well-being. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. A significance level of p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 70.90 (SD=8.07), and about 70% of the sample was married. The mean scores of taking and providing social support were 20.70 ±7.52 and 17.71 ±7.82, respectively. The hierarchical regression analysis revealed that providing social support is significantly associated with the well-being of older adults beyond and over receiving social support and possible contributing factors (∆F=30.25; ∆R2= 0.39, p<0.05).

Conclusion

The results showed that providing social support is more important than receiving it. Older adults should participate in social activities to provide social support.

Socioeconomic Status and Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Roles of Community Identity and Perceived Control

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have examined the association between socioeconomic status and prosocial behavior, but the underlying mechanism between them is unclear. The present study aimed to examine the serially mediating roles of community identity and perceived control in this relationship.

METHODS

Using the convenient sampling technique, a total of 477 Chinese adults from Chinese communities, and ranging in age from 20 to 65 completed the questionnaires for objective socioeconomic status, the MacArthur scale of subjective socioeconomic status, an eight-item community identity scale, the perceived control scale, and a prosocial tendencies measure. Bivariate correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to examine the relationships among the major variables.

RESULTS

Socioeconomic status was positively associated with prosocial behavior. It was also found that community identity and perceived control played mediating roles between socioeconomic status and prosocial behavior, respectively. In addition, community identity and perceived control also had a serially mediating role in the relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Community identity and perceived control played a serially mediating role in the association between socioeconomic status and prosocial behavior. The findings in the present study contribute to understanding the underlying mechanism in the association between socioeconomic status and prosocial behavior among adults, and have important implications for interventions aimed at improving prosocial behavior in lower-status individuals.

Association between Social Frailty and Sleep Quality among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

We examined the association between social frailty and subjective sleep quality among community-dwelling adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited Japanese adults over the age of 60 years from health check-ups held in a public townhall in a suburban area between 2018 and 2019. Social frailty was evaluated using five criteria (living alone, not visiting friends sometimes, going out less frequently than the last year, not feeling helpful to friends or family, and not talking to someone every day) and categorized into three groups: non-frailty, pre-frailty, and frailty. Sleep quality was assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) by giving participants a self-reported questionnaire. We performed multivariable linear regression analysis, denoting social frailty as an independent variable, and the global PSQI score as a dependent variable.

RESULTS

Data from 300 older adults were analyzed, 51.0% of whom were female. The participants' mean age was 73.0 years (standard deviation = 5.8). Multivariable analysis revealed the notable association between social frailty and a high global PSQI score (compared with non-frailty, frailty: β = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.08 to 1.80, p = 0.033). Of the five determiners of social frailty, not talking with someone every day was especially associated with a high global PSQI score (β = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.49 to 2.66, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that social frailty is associated with poor sleep quality among community-dwelling older adults. Our findings indicate the importance of social frailty on sleep quality among older adults.

Community social support and onset of dementia in older Japanese individuals: a multilevel analysis using the JAGES cohort data

OBJECTIVE

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of people with dementia. However, no study has examined the association between community-level social support and the onset of incident dementia using multilevel survival analysis.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We analysed data pertaining to 15 313 (7381 men and 7932 women) community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older who had not accessed long-term care insurance and were living in Aichi Prefecture (seven municipalities) in Japan.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The association between community-level social support and onset of incident dementia was examined using the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a prospective cohort study introduced in Japan in 2003. Incident dementia was assessed using Long-term Care Insurance records spanning 3436 days from the baseline survey.

RESULTS

During the 10-year follow-up, the onset of incident dementia occurred in 1776 adults. Among older people, a 1% increase in community-level social support (in the form of receiving emotional support) was associated with an approximately 4% reduction in the risk of developing dementia, regardless of socio-demographic variables and health conditions (HR=0.96; 95% CI=0.94 to 0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

Receiving community-level social support in the form of emotional support is associated with a lower risk of developing incident dementia.

Neighborhood farm density, types of agriculture, and depressive symptoms among older farmers: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Farmers may have an increased risk for poor mental health. In connection with this, factors specific to the neighborhood environment such as farm density and the type of agriculture, might be important for mental wellbeing. In this study we aimed to clarify the cross-level interaction on depressive symptoms between farm density at the neighborhood level by type of agriculture and the longest occupation of individuals (farmer or non-farmer).

METHODS

Data came from the 2016 wave of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) that were linked to governmental agricultural data. Information was analyzed from 147,549 respondents aged 65 years or older, residing in 1024 neighborhoods in 39 municipalities. We calculated farm (crop or animal husbandry) density at the neighborhood level, dividing the number of agricultural management entities by the population. Three-level (individual, neighborhood, and municipality) Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the prevalence rate ratios of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher among individuals whose longest occupation was farmer compared to non-farmer. The estimated probability of depressive symptoms by a cross-level interaction analysis showed that among farmers of both genders, those who were residing in neighborhoods where the farm density was low had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, regardless of the type of agriculture. The slope of the relationship between depressive symptoms and animal husbandry farm density varied by occupation, with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms observed in male farmers compared to male non-farmers.

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of depressive symptoms among farmers in neighborhoods with a low farm density may reflect a scarcity of formal and informal social support in such communities. The health effects of the neighborhood environment on farmers, such as farm density, which may vary by the type of agriculture, should be further researched.

How Does Reciprocal Exchange of Social Support Alleviate Individuals' Depression in an Earthquake-Damaged Community?

There is ample evidence to indicate the direct effects of receiving social support on mental health during and after a disaster. However, the importance of reciprocal exchanges of social support (i.e., balanced receipt and provision of social support) in maintaining the mental health status of individuals is not widely recognized. Using equity theory and reciprocity norms as a conceptual base, we distinguished two types of social support, namely, emotional support and instrumental support, and examined the effects of reciprocal exchanges of types of support on depression in survivors of an earthquake-damaged community. To collect data, in 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 295 survivors of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in a rural village in Nepal. Our results showed that the relationship between reciprocal exchange of support and depression varied depending on the types of support. The amount of emotional support received by the individual alleviated his/her depression only when accompanied by giving emotional support. By contrast, the net amount of instrumental support given by the individual increased his/her depression. The practical implications of the study are discussed.

The Association between Social Support Sources and Cognitive Function among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A One-Year Prospective Study

There is evidence that social relationships may modify cognitive decline in older people. We examined the prospective association between social support and cognitive function among community-dwelling older people. Japanese adults recruited at health checkups in suburban towns were surveyed at baseline and one-year follow-up. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Japanese version (MoCA-J). Social support from coresiding family, non-coresiding family, and neighbors/friends was assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the effects of social support on MoCA-J scores at follow-up. Data were analyzed from 121 older people (mean age (standard deviation): 73.86 (4.95) years). There was a positive association between social support exchanges with neighbors and friends and MoCA-J scores at follow-up after covariate adjustment (unstandardized β = 1.23, p = 0.006). Social support exchanges with coresiding family and non-coresiding family and relatives were not associated with MoCA-J scores at follow-up (coresiding family: Unstandardized β = 0.28, p = 0.813, non-coresiding family and relatives: Unstandardized β = 0.51, p = 0.238). The provision of emotional support to neighbors and friends had the largest effect on MoCA-J scores. Our findings suggest that social support exchanges with neighbors and friends are protective against cognitive decline.

Social support and depression among community dwelling older adults in Asia: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to: (1) explore the social support measures in studies examining the association between social support and depression among community-dwelling older adults in Asia and (2) the evidence of association.

DESIGN

A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases of CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, SocINDEX and Web of Science for articles published until the 11th of January 2018.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All observational studies investigating the association between social support and depression among community-dwelling older adults in Asia were included.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults aged 60 years and more who are living in the community.

EXPOSURE MEASURES

Social support.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Depression.

RESULTS

We retrieved16 356 records and screened 66 full-text articles. Twenty-four observational studies were included in the review. They consisted of five cohort studies and 19 cross-sectional studies. Social support was found to be measured by multiple components, most commonly through a combination of structural and functional constructs. Perceived social support is more commonly measured compared with received social support. Good overall social support, having a spouse or partner, living with family, having a large social network, having more contact with family and friends, having emotional and instrumental support, good support from family and satisfaction with social support are associated with less depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Asia.

CONCLUSIONS

There were 20 different social support measures and we applied a framework to allow for better comparability. Our findings emphasised the association between good social support and decrease depression among older adults. Compared with western populations, family support has a greater influence on depression among community-dwelling older adults in Asia. This indicates that the family institution needs to be incorporated into designed programmes and interventions when addressing depression in the Asian context. TRIAL : registration number : CRD42017074897.

Reliability and validity of the Brief 2-Way Social Support Scale: an investigation of social support in promoting older adult well-being

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the relationship between well-being and perceived stress, and the functional dimensions of social support in older adults.

Method

Data from 306 older adults were obtained in a survey containing the two-way Social Support Scale (2-Way SSS). Also, a subset of the sample (N = 165) was filled out with measures of well-being and perceived stress, and a follow-up survey was completed 3 months later (N = 111).

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses and reliability analyses provide evidence for a 12-item Brief 2-Way SSS as a reliable and valid measure of the four domains of Social Support. Correlations and regression analyses indicated the scale displayed good concurrent and predictive validity across time points, with receiving emotional support positively associated with well-being at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2), and Receiving Instrumental Support negatively associated with perceived stress at TI and T2.

Conclusions

This study provides support for the importance of examining the influence of separable elements of social support on psychological outcomes in older adults. The Brief 2-Way SSS was found to have good psychometric properties in this sample of older adults.

Couples in Need of Home Care Services: Experiences With Support From Care Professionals

Many older people desire to remain in their homes and be cared for by a family member, but this arrangement requires support from care professionals. The aim was to describe how couples in need of home care services experienced the received support from care professionals. A qualitative design with content analysis was used. Data were collected through diaries and focus groups consisting of eight couples between 65 and 80 years, and two registered nurses. The main findings are described by the following categories: Organizational adapted, Withholding, Being in a gap, resulting in the theme Lack of professional support. Couples experienced shortcomings that were related to the organization, the care professionals, and the couples themselves. The theme Lack of professional support requires more knowledge.

A 10-Year Follow-Up Study of Social Ties and Functional Health among the Old: The AGES Project

In Asian nations, family ties are considered important. However, it is not clear what happens among older people with no such ties. To investigate the association, we used longitudinal data from the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES) project. Functionally independent older people at baseline (N = 14,088) in 10 municipalities were followed from 2003 to 2013. Social ties were assessed by asking about their social support exchange with family, relatives, friends, or neighbors. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to investigate the association between social ties and the onset of functional disability adjusting for age, health status, and living arrangement. We found that social ties with co-residing family members, and those with friends or neighbors, independently protected functional health with hazard ratios of 0.81 and 0.85 among men. Among women, ties with friend or neighbors had a stronger effect on health compared to their male counterparts with a hazard ratio of 0.89. The fact that social ties with friends or neighbors are associated with a lower risk of functional decline, independent of family support, serves to underscore the importance of promoting social ties, especially among those lacking family ties.