Gender differences in the effect of social support on health-related quality of life: results of a population-based prospective cohort study in old age in Germany

Hajek, André; Brettschneider, Christian; Lange, Carolin; Posselt, Tina; Wiese, Birgitt; Steinmann, Susanne; Weyerer, Siegfried; Werle, Jochen; Pentzek, Michael; Fuchs, Ângela; Stein, Janine; Luck, Tobias; Bickel, Horst; Mösch, Edelgard; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Heser, Kathrin; Maier, Wolfgang; Scherer, Martin; Riedel‐Heller, Steffi G.; König, Hans‐Helmut

doi:10.1007/s11136-015-1166-5

Cited by 66 publications

(41 citation statements)

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“…From the results of all item scores, we found that female elderly tended to perceive more social support and attend more social activities compared to male. These findings were consistent with previous researches [23,24]. Another interesting disparity of social health status was found between urban and rural elderly population.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Regression-based normative data for social health scale for the elderly (short version) in eastern China

Bao

et al. 2020

Health Qual Life Outcomes

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Backgrounds: Social Health Scale for the Elderly short version (SHSE-S) is a psychometrically sound instrument that comprehensively assesses the social health status of older adults in China. The aim of the present study was to establish continuous normative data of SHSE-S. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study among 31 communities in eastern China. Older adults aged 60 years and above were invited to participate in the study. Each participant was interviewed in-person to finish a structured questionnaire. The SHES-S score was calculated and standardized for each participant. We split the sample into generation and validation datasets and compared the distribution of SHSE-S score between two datasets. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the SHSE-S score and demographic variables. Regressionbased norms were built using a four-step process. Results: A total of 6089 participants (51.2% females) aged 60 years old and above (mean age = 71.3, SD = 8.0) were enrolled as the normative sample. No significant difference was found between the distribution of SHSE-S standardized score in the generation (N = 2392) and validation (N = 3697) datasets. Multivariable linear regression showed that females, higher education levels were positive indicators while aging, living alone, divorced or never married, multimorbidity were negative factors. The regression-based norm which taking demographic factors into account was established and a user-friendly worksheet was also provided to facilitate the scoring and norming of the SHSE-S. Conclusions: The population-based regression norm of SHSE-S can be a useful tool for assessing the social health status of the Chinese elderly population.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Regression-based normative data for social health scale for the elderly (short version) in eastern China

Bao

et al. 2020

Health Qual Life Outcomes

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“…24 (iii) According to the stress hypothesis, health-promoting behaviors can avoid social isolation and can increase social engagement, social integration, or social relationships, which can reduce stress, increase relaxation, or enhance self-esteem (as well as other healthrelated factors). [26][27][28] For example, increased stress is associated with decreases in cognitive functioning. 29 Another explanation was proposed by Cacioppo et al 30 They assumed that social isolation reduces sleep quality and activates neurobiological mechanisms that can stimulate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis.…”

Section: Previous Research and Possible Explanationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived social isolation and cognitive functioning. Longitudinal findings based on the German Ageing Survey

Hajek

Riedel‐Heller

König

2019

Int J Geriat Psychiatry

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Objectives: There is a lack of longitudinal studies, which are both based on nationally representative samples and use standardized instruments to quantify social isolation.Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the link between perceived social isolation and cognitive functioning longitudinally.Methods/Design: Longitudinal data with n = 6420 from 2014 (wave 5) to 2017 (wave 6) were drawn from the German Ageing Survey (nationally representative sample of individuals aged 40 years and over). Perceived social isolation was assessed using a scale by Bude and Lantermann. Cognitive functioning was quantified using the established digit symbol test. To reduce the problem of unobserved heterogeneity, linear fixed effects regressions were used.Results: Regressions showed that increases in perceived social isolation were associated with decreases in cognitive functioning. With regard to covariates, decreases in cognitive functioning were associated with increases in aging and worsening selfrated health, whereas changes in marital status, employment status, income, physical functioning, and physical illnesses were not associated with the outcome measure.Conclusions: Based on a nationally representative sample and exploiting the panel data structure, the study findings extend current knowledge by showing that increasing perceived social isolation contributes to decreases in cognitive functioning among individuals aged 40 years and over longitudinally. Future longitudinal studies based on panel data methods are required to validate the study findings. K E Y W O R D Scognition, cognitive functioning, social disconnectedness, social exclusion, social isolation | INTRODUCTIONIt is widely acknowledged that there is an ongoing change in the demographic structure of industrialized countries, meaning that the number of individuals in late life is increasing continuously. It is also widely understood that age is associated with decreases in cognitive functioning.Moreover, higher age is associated with increased social isolation. 1 Cognitive functioning 2 and social isolation 3 are both associated with subsequent morbidity and mortality, highlighting the importance of these factors.Social isolation is linked to decreased social activities or social engagement, which, in turn, can stimulate cognitive functioning. 4An association between social isolation and cognitive functioning has been demonstrated by recent cross-sectional 5 and longitudinal studies. 6,7 For example, it has been shown that social isolation is related to decreased cognitive function based on data from a Spanish nationally representative sample (n = 1691; individuals ≥50 years; two waves). Similar findings were made by Evans et al based on longitudinal data from the Cognitive Function and

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“…Moreover, most of the existing longitudinal studies focus on social support and social networks, including [14] informal caregiving [15], whereas only a few studies [12, 13, 16, 17] investigated the association between engagement and HRQoL as well as depressive symptoms. For example, Schwingel et al [13] found that at baseline and 2-year follow up volunteering retirees had less depressive symptoms than non-volunteering retirees.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of social engagement on health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms in old age - evidence from a multicenter prospective cohort study in Germany

Hajek

Brettschneider

Mallon

et al. 2017

Health Qual Life Outcomes

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BackgroundThus far, only a few longitudinal studies investigated the impact of social engagement on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depressive symptoms in old age. Therefore, we aimed to examine the impact of social engagement on HRQoL and depressive symptoms in late life.MethodsIndividuals aged 75 years and over at baseline were interviewed every 1.5 years in a multicenter prospective cohort study in Germany. While HRQoL was quantified by using the Visual Analogue Scale (EQ VAS) of the EQ-5D instrument, depressive symptoms was assessed by using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Individuals reported the frequency (“never” to “every day”) of social engagement (e.g., engagement in the church, as a volunteer, in a party, or in a club) in the last four weeks. Fixed effects regressions were used to estimate the effect of social engagement on the outcome variables.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, marital status, functional status and chronic diseases, fixed effects regressions revealed that the onset of social engagement markedly increased HRQoL and considerably decreased depressive symptoms in the total sample and in women, but not men.ConclusionsOur findings corroborate the relevance of social engagement for HRQoL and depressive symptoms in old age. Encouraging the individuals to start, maintain and expand social engagement in late life might help to maintain and improve HRQoL and decrease depressive symptoms.

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Gender differences in the effect of social support on health-related quality of life: results of a population-based prospective cohort study in old age in Germany

Abstract: 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.

Cited by 66 publications

References 65 publications

Regression-based normative data for social health scale for the elderly (short version) in eastern China

Regression-based normative data for social health scale for the elderly (short version) in eastern China

Perceived social isolation and cognitive functioning. Longitudinal findings based on the German Ageing Survey

The impact of social engagement on health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms in old age - evidence from a multicenter prospective cohort study in Germany

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