Cramm J M, van Dijk H M, Nieboer A P
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 2013 Apr;44(2):50-8. doi: 10.1007/s12439-013-0010-z.
We aimed to investigate whether social capital (obtaining support through indirect ties such as from neighbors) and social cohesion (interdependencies among neighbors) within neighborhoods positively affect the well-being of older adults.
This cross-sectional study included 945/1440 (66 % response rate) independently living older adults (aged >70 years) in Rotterdam. We fitted a hierarchical random-effects model to account for the hierarchical structure of the study design: 945 older adults (level 1) nested in 72 neighborhoods (level 2).
Univariate analyses showed that being born in the Netherlands, house ownership, education, income, social capital of individuals, neighborhood security, neighborhood services, neighborhood social capital, and neighborhood social cohesion were significantly related to the well-being of older adults. Multilevel analyses showed that social capital of individuals, neighborhood services, neighborhood social capital, and neighborhood social cohesion predicted the well-being of older adults. Single and poor older adults reported lower well-being than did better-off and married older adults. However, the effects of marital status and income were mediated by neighborhood services, social capital, and social cohesion. Neighborhood services, social capital and social cohesion may act as buffer against the adverse effects of being single and poor on the well-being of older adults.
The results of this study support the importance of social capital of individuals, as well as social capital within the neighborhood and social cohesion within the neighborhood for well-being of older adults. The well-being of older adults may also be enhanced through the improvement of quality of neighborhood services.
我们旨在调查邻里间的社会资本（通过间接关系如从邻居处获得支持）和社会凝聚力（邻居间的相互依存关系）是否对老年人的幸福感产生积极影响。
这项横断面研究纳入了鹿特丹945名/1440名（回应率66%）独立生活的老年人（年龄>70岁）。我们采用分层随机效应模型来考虑研究设计的分层结构：945名老年人（第1层）嵌套于72个邻里（第2层）。
单变量分析表明，在荷兰出生、拥有住房、受教育程度、收入、个人社会资本、邻里安全、邻里服务、邻里社会资本和邻里社会凝聚力与老年人的幸福感显著相关。多水平分析表明，个人社会资本、邻里服务、邻里社会资本和邻里社会凝聚力可预测老年人的幸福感。单身和贫困的老年人报告的幸福感低于富裕和已婚的老年人。然而，婚姻状况和收入的影响通过邻里服务、社会资本和社会凝聚力来介导。邻里服务、社会资本和社会凝聚力可能起到缓冲作用，抵御单身和贫困对老年人幸福感的不利影响。
本研究结果支持个人社会资本以及邻里内社会资本和邻里内社会凝聚力对老年人幸福感的重要性。通过改善邻里服务质量也可能提高老年人的幸福感。
