School of Social Work, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Simmons College School of Social Work, Boston, Massachusetts.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2018 Jan 11;73(2):230-239. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx089.
African Americans comprise 9% of the 46 million U.S. adults over age 65. Two thirds of older African American men (AAM) reside with companions. This study investigated the assumption that frequent contact with companions confers mainly health-related benefits for AAM.
Utilizing secondary data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, the relationship between older AAM's mental health and related conditions (depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances), companion living arrangements, and frequency of contact with the participants for 3,423 older AAM and their 1,161 companions, was examined.
The mean age of participants and companions was 74 years and 90% of AAM lived in a private residence. Logistic regression models indicated that an increased risk for anxiety was found when companions lived in (OR = 1.66), called daily (OR = 1.089), or visited daily (OR = 1.079). Finally, AAM had an increased likelihood of nonmedical sleep disturbances when companions lived in (OR = 1.67), called daily (1.105), or visited daily (1.078).
The frequency of contact with companions may be consequential for select mental health outcomes and associated physiological conditions for older AAM; the timing of contact requires further investigation.
非裔美国人占美国 4600 万 65 岁以上成年人的 9%。三分之二的老年非裔美国男性（AAM）与伴侣同住。本研究假设与伴侣频繁接触主要会为 AAM 带来与健康相关的益处。
利用国家阿尔茨海默病协调中心的二次数据，研究了 3423 名老年 AAM 及其 1161 名伴侣的心理健康和相关状况（抑郁、焦虑和睡眠障碍）、伴侣的居住安排以及与参与者的接触频率之间的关系。
参与者和伴侣的平均年龄分别为 74 岁，90%的 AAM 居住在私人住宅中。逻辑回归模型表明，当伴侣居住在（OR=1.66）、每天打电话（OR=1.089）或每天探望（OR=1.079）时，焦虑风险增加。最后，当伴侣居住在（OR=1.67）、每天打电话（1.105）或每天探望（1.078）时，AAM 出现非医疗性睡眠障碍的可能性增加。
与伴侣接触的频率可能对老年 AAM 的某些心理健康结果和相关生理状况产生影响；接触的时间需要进一步研究。
