Blozik Eva, Wagner Jan T, Gillmann Gerhard, Iliffe Steve, von Renteln-Kruse Wolfgang, Lubben James, Beck John C, Stuck Andreas E, Clough-Gorr Kerri M
Department of Geriatrics, Inselspital University of Bern Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
Aging Clin Exp Res. 2009 Apr;21(2):150-7. doi: 10.1007/BF03325223.
In clinical practice, the status of living alone is often used as the only measure describing an older person's social network. We evaluated whether additional use of a brief social network measure provides relevant additional information in relation to social support and engagement.
Cross-sectional survey of 6982 community- dwelling adults 65 years or older living in London, UK; Hamburg, Germany; and Solothurn, Switzerland. Data were collected using the self-administered multidimensional Health Risk Appraisal Questionnaire. Multivariate models were used to analyse adjusted correlations between the two measures of social network (living alone status, risk for social isolation with marginal family and friend network subscales) and potential consequences of inadequate social network (marginal emotional or instrumental support, lack of social engagement).
Living alone status was more strongly associated with marginal instrumental support [OR=7.6 (95% CI 6.3, 9.1)] than with marginal emotional support [OR=4.2 (95% CI 3.4, 5.1)], and showed no statistically significant association with lack of social engagement [OR=0.9 (95% CI 0.8, 1.0)]. Risk of social isolation was more strongly related to marginal emotional support [OR=6.6 (95% CI 5.4, 8.0)] than to marginal instrumental support [OR=3.3 (95% CI 2.8, 4.0)], and was moderately related to lack of social engagement [OR=2.9 (95% CI 2.5, 3.4]. Marginal family and friend network subscales showed consistent and unique associations with social support and social engagement.
Findings suggest that living alone status and a brief measure of social network identifies distinctive at-risk groups and potential pathways for intervention. Geriatric assessment programs including both social network measures may provide useful information about potentially modifiable social network risks in older persons.
在临床实践中，独居状况常被用作描述老年人社交网络的唯一指标。我们评估了额外使用一项简短的社交网络测量指标是否能提供与社会支持和参与度相关的额外有用信息。
对居住在英国伦敦、德国汉堡和瑞士索洛图恩的6982名65岁及以上的社区成年人进行横断面调查。使用自行填写的多维健康风险评估问卷收集数据。采用多变量模型分析社交网络的两项测量指标（独居状况、家庭和朋友网络规模较小导致的社会隔离风险）与社交网络不足的潜在后果（情感或工具性支持较少、缺乏社会参与）之间的校正相关性。
独居状况与工具性支持较少的关联更为紧密[比值比（OR）=7.6（95%置信区间6.3，9.1）]，而与情感支持较少的关联较弱[OR=4.2（95%置信区间3.4，5.1）]，且与缺乏社会参与无统计学显著关联[OR=0.9（95%置信区间0.8，1.0）]。社会隔离风险与情感支持较少的关联更为紧密[OR=6.6（95%置信区间5.4，8.0）]，而与工具性支持较少的关联较弱[OR=3.3（95%置信区间2.8，4.0）]，且与缺乏社会参与呈中度关联[OR=2.9（95%置信区间2.5，3.4）]。家庭和朋友网络规模较小的子量表与社会支持和社会参与呈现出一致且独特的关联。
研究结果表明，独居状况和一项简短的社交网络测量指标可识别出不同的高危群体以及潜在的干预途径。同时纳入这两项社交网络测量指标的老年评估项目可能会提供有关老年人潜在可改变的社交网络风险的有用信息。
