Leggett Amanda N, Choi HwaJung, Chopik William J, Liu Hui, Gonzalez Richard
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research.
Res Hum Dev. 2020;17(1):78-93. doi: 10.1080/15427609.2020.1750293. Epub 2020 Jul 1.
Loneliness is common in dementia caregivers as cognitive impairment (CI) alters marital and social relationships. Unexplored is how an individual's loneliness is affected at earlier, more ambiguous, periods of their spouse's CI.
Using the Health and Retirement Study, our study participants included 2,206 coupled individuals with normal cognitive function at the 2006/8 baseline. Loneliness outcomes at baseline, 4-year and 8-year follow-up are assessed by the status of transition to cognitive impairment no dementia (TCIND) (2010/12 & 2014/16) using linear mixed models.
Individual's loneliness was stable when their spouse's cognition remained normal, but increased with the spouse's TCIND. The increase in loneliness did not vary by gender.
Loneliness, a key risk factor for reduced life quality and increased depression, increases even at early stages of a partner's CIND. This work suggests the potential impact of early intervention and social support for partners of individuals with CIND.
孤独在痴呆症照料者中很常见，因为认知障碍会改变婚姻和社会关系。在配偶认知障碍的早期、更模糊阶段，个体的孤独感如何受到影响尚不清楚。
利用健康与退休研究，我们的研究参与者包括在2006/8年基线时认知功能正常的2206对夫妇。使用线性混合模型，根据向无痴呆认知障碍（TCIND）的转变状态（2010/12年和2014/16年）评估基线、4年和8年随访时的孤独结果。
当配偶的认知保持正常时，个体孤独感稳定，但随着配偶出现TCIND而增加。孤独感的增加在性别上没有差异。
孤独是生活质量下降和抑郁症增加的关键风险因素，即使在伴侣出现CIND的早期阶段也会增加。这项工作表明了对CIND个体伴侣进行早期干预和社会支持的潜在影响。
