Lin Sapphire H, Chew Mary Su-Lynn, Lim Gek Hsiang, Ng Yee Sien
Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation, Singapore Health Services, Singapore, Singapore.
The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2025 Feb 10;80(3). doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbaf003.
Restriction of life-space mobility is associated with adverse health outcomes including depression, morbidity, mortality, and poorer quality of life. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated employment loss on the life space of older adults in Singapore.
An in-person survey was administered to a cohort of older Singaporeans above 50 years old (N = 1,118). Data collected included self-report measures of life space, sensory function, well-being, cognitive function, depression, frailty, and objective measures of muscle mass and body mass index. Tests of association and linear regression were performed to test the hypotheses while accounting for the effects of health and sociodemographic covariates.
The life space of older adults has significantly diminished after the pandemic. This loss remained significant despite controlling for covariates and was more pronounced among those who had lost employment during the pandemic. In addition, losing employment during the pandemic was associated with having smaller life spaces.
Life-space assessments are a potential important noninvasive marker for not only health and longevity but also the ability to sustain employment. Public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and employment loss negatively affect the life spaces of older adults. It is needful to emphasize the maintenance of life space when faced with disruptive life events and provide multidisciplinary collaborative solutions to restore the quality of life among vulnerable older adults.
生活空间移动性受限与包括抑郁、发病率、死亡率及较差生活质量在内的不良健康结局相关。在本研究中，我们旨在确定2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）及相关的就业损失对新加坡老年人生活空间的影响。
对一组50岁以上的新加坡老年人（N = 1118）进行了面对面调查。收集的数据包括生活空间、感觉功能、幸福感、认知功能、抑郁、衰弱的自我报告测量指标，以及肌肉量和体重指数的客观测量指标。在考虑健康和社会人口统计学协变量影响的同时，进行了关联性检验和线性回归以检验假设。
疫情大流行后老年人的生活空间显著缩小。尽管对协变量进行了控制，这种损失仍然显著，并且在疫情期间失去工作的人群中更为明显。此外，在疫情期间失去工作与生活空间较小有关。
生活空间评估不仅是健康和长寿的潜在重要非侵入性指标，也是维持就业能力的指标。像COVID-19大流行这样的公共卫生危机和就业损失会对老年人的生活空间产生负面影响。面对破坏性的生活事件时，强调维持生活空间并提供多学科协作解决方案以恢复弱势老年人的生活质量是很有必要的。
