Cramm Jane M, Nieboer Anna P
Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Rotterdam, 3000 DR, the Netherlands.
BMC Geriatr. 2015 Mar 21;15:30. doi: 10.1186/s12877-015-0027-y.
The neighborhood social environment has been identified as an important aspect of older people's well-being. Poor neighborhood conditions can pose difficulties in obtaining support, especially for older people who live alone. Although social environments have been found to be related to well-being among older people, the longitudinal relationship between the social environment and well-being remains poorly undestood. Research on the effects of changes in neighborhood characteristics, such as social cohesion and social belonging, on well-being is lacking. Therefore, the study aims are (i) describe social cohesion, social belonging, and instrumental goals to achieve well-being among community-dwelling older people, (ii) determine whether these factors varied according to neighborhood social deprivation and compare these findings to those from chronically ill/previously hospitalized older people, and (iii) identify longitudinal relationships between social cohesion and belonging and well-being.
Independently living Dutch older adults (aged ≥ 70 years) were asked to complete questionnaires in 2011 (T0) and 2013 (T1). Response rates at T0 and T1 were 66% (945/1440) and 62% (588/945), respectively. Descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests, analysis of variance, univariate analyses and multilevel regression analyses controlling for background characteristics and baseline well-being were performed.
Of 945 respondents [43% male; mean age, 77.5 ± 5.8 (range, 70-101) years], 34.7% were married and 83.3% were Dutch natives. Social cohesion remained constant over time, whereas social belonging improved (p ≤ 0.05). Older people living in socially deprived neighborhoods report poorer overall well-being and instrumental goals to achieve well-being. Baseline social cohesion, changes therein (both p ≤ .001), baseline social belonging, and changes therein (both p ≤ .05) predicted well-being at T1.
This study showed that social cohesion, belonging, and changes therein predict the social as well as physical well-being of community-dwelling older people in the Netherlands over time. The creation of stronger ties among neighbors and a sense of belonging is needed.
邻里社会环境已被视为老年人幸福感的一个重要方面。恶劣的邻里环境可能给获得支持带来困难，尤其是对于独居的老年人。尽管已发现社会环境与老年人的幸福感相关，但社会环境与幸福感之间的纵向关系仍了解甚少。缺乏关于邻里特征变化（如社会凝聚力和社会归属感）对幸福感影响的研究。因此，本研究的目的是：（i）描述社区居住老年人实现幸福感的社会凝聚力、社会归属感和工具性目标；（ii）确定这些因素是否因邻里社会剥夺程度而异，并将这些结果与慢性病/曾住院老年人的结果进行比较；（iii）确定社会凝聚力和归属感与幸福感之间的纵向关系。
独立生活的荷兰老年人（年龄≥70岁）被要求在2011年（T0）和2013年（T1）完成问卷调查。T0和T1的回复率分别为66%（945/1440）和62%（588/945）。进行了描述性统计、配对样本t检验、方差分析、单变量分析以及控制背景特征和基线幸福感的多层次回归分析。
在945名受访者中[43%为男性；平均年龄77.5±5.8（范围70 - 101）岁]，34.7%已婚，83.3%是荷兰本地人。社会凝聚力随时间保持不变，而社会归属感有所改善（p≤0.05）。生活在社会剥夺社区的老年人报告总体幸福感和实现幸福感的工具性目标较差。基线社会凝聚力、其变化（两者p≤0.001）、基线社会归属感及其变化（两者p≤0.05）预测了T1时的幸福感。
本研究表明，随着时间推移，社会凝聚力、归属感及其变化预测了荷兰社区居住老年人的社会和身体健康状况。需要在邻居之间建立更紧密的联系和归属感。
