Bath Peter A, Gardiner Alison
Health Informatics Research Group, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 211 Portobello Street, Sheffield, S1 4DP UK.
Eur J Ageing. 2005 Mar;2(1):56-63. doi: 10.1007/s10433-005-0022-9. Epub 2005 Mar 4.
Social engagement has been associated with improved health outcomes in older people, although the precise mechanisms by which this is mediated are not clear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social engagement and health and social care use and medication use in older people. Data were derived from the 1985, 1989 and 1993 waves of the Nottingham Longitudinal Study of Activity and Ageing, a nationally representative sample of people aged 65 and over. Logistic regression models were used to determine whether social engagement predicted cross-sectional and longitudinal health and social care use and medication use. People with higher social engagement were significantly less likely to have seen their family doctor, the district nurse or home help services, and to be taking two or more medications cross-sectionally. This relationship was independent of demographic factors, physical and mental health and physical activity for contact with the district nurse or home help services. Higher social engagement was associated with reduced contact with home help services after 4 years, independent of demographic factors, physical and mental health, and with reduced medication use after 4 years in unadjusted models. Higher social engagement was associated with increased contact with home help services after 8 years, when controlling for demographic factors, physical and mental health and physical activity. Higher social engagement may help to reduce cross-sectional health and social care service and medication use but further research is required to understand the benefits of social engagement and medium- and long-term service/medication use.
社交参与与老年人健康状况改善相关，尽管其中介的确切机制尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨社交参与与老年人健康、社会护理使用及药物使用之间的关系。数据来源于1985年、1989年和1993年的诺丁汉活动与老龄化纵向研究，该研究是一个具有全国代表性的65岁及以上人群样本。采用逻辑回归模型来确定社交参与是否能预测横断面及纵向的健康、社会护理使用和药物使用情况。社交参与度较高的人在横断面研究中去看家庭医生、社区护士或接受家政服务以及服用两种或更多药物的可能性显著降低。对于联系社区护士或接受家政服务而言，这种关系独立于人口统计学因素、身心健康和身体活动。在未调整的模型中，较高的社交参与度与4年后接受家政服务的次数减少相关，这一关联独立于人口统计学因素、身心健康；并且与4年后药物使用减少相关。在控制人口统计学因素、身心健康和身体活动后，较高的社交参与度与8年后接受家政服务的次数增加相关。较高的社交参与度可能有助于减少横断面的健康和社会护理服务及药物使用，但需要进一步研究以了解社交参与的益处以及中长期的服务/药物使用情况。
