Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany.
African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya; National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2024 Aug;123:105443. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105443. Epub 2024 Apr 10.
OBJECTIVES: To clarify the factors associated with loneliness in individuals aged 80 years and older in Germany (also stratified by sex). METHODS: Data from the nationally representative "Old Age in Germany (D80+)" were employed. The analytic sample equaled 10,031 individuals. The D80+ study included community-dwelling and institutionalized individuals ≥ 80 years in Germany. Multiple linear regressions were used (with sociodemographic and health-related explanatory factors). The collection of data occurred between November 2020 and April 2021 (written questionnaire). RESULTS: Higher loneliness was significantly associated with not being married (e.g., widowed compared to being married, β=0.37, p<.001), being institutionalized (β=0.33, p<.001), low education (high education compared to low education, β=-0.07, p<.01), a higher number of chronic conditions (β=0.02, p<.001), poor self-rated health (β=-0.19, p<.001) and greater functional impairment (β=0.15, p<.001). Sex-stratified regressions produced comparable results. However, low education was only associated with higher loneliness among men, but not women (with significant interaction: education x sex). CONCLUSION: Several sociodemographic and health-related factors can contribute to loneliness among the oldest old in Germany, with sex-specific associations between education and loneliness. Overall, such knowledge can aid to address individuals with higher loneliness levels.
目的:厘清与德国 80 岁及以上人群(亦按性别分层)孤独感相关的因素。
方法:本研究采用全国代表性的“德国老年人(D80+)”研究的数据。分析样本共计 10031 人。D80+研究纳入了德国 80 岁及以上的社区居住者和机构居住者。采用多元线性回归(包括社会人口学和与健康相关的解释因素)。数据收集于 2020 年 11 月至 2021 年 4 月(书面问卷)。
结果:更高的孤独感与未婚(例如丧偶与已婚相比,β=0.37,p<.001)、机构化(β=0.33,p<.001)、低教育(高等教育与低等教育相比,β=-0.07,p<.01)、更多慢性疾病(β=0.02,p<.001)、自评健康状况较差(β=-0.19,p<.001)和功能障碍更严重(β=0.15,p<.001)显著相关。性别分层回归产生了类似的结果。然而,低教育仅与男性的更高孤独感相关,而与女性无关(存在显著的交互作用:教育×性别)。
结论:一些社会人口学和与健康相关的因素可能导致德国最年长人群的孤独感,教育与孤独感之间存在性别特异性关联。总的来说,这些知识可以帮助确定孤独感较高的个体。
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