Allain T J, Matenga J A, Gomo Z, Adamchak D J, Wilson A O
Department of Sociology Waters Hall Kansas State University, Manhattan 66502-1700, USA.
Cent Afr J Med. 1996 Nov;42(11):308-11.
To assess determinants of happiness and life satisfaction in elderly Zimbabweans.
Community based cross sectional survey.
Randomly selected villages and two urban areas in north eastern Zimbabwe.
278 subjects aged 60 to 92 years (124 male, 154 female).
One subject per randomly selected household was interviewed, at home, by a trained interviewer to complete a questionnaire.
Independent determinants of happiness were: rural residence, whether children gave material support and satisfaction with financial circumstances. [Adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals 0.25 (0.13 to 0.49), 0.45 (0.22 to 0.94) and 0.11 (0.01 to 0.87) respectively]. Independent determinants of life satisfaction were: feeling better off than their neighbours, receiving adequate respect from their children and satisfaction with financial circumstances. [Adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals 0.73 (0.59 to 0.91), 0.13 (0.03 to 0.59) and 0.24 (0.1 to 0.61) respectively].
We have demonstrated that, despite physical hardship, the majority of Zimbabwean elders are happy and 50% are satisfied with their lives and we have identified independent determinants of happiness and life satisfaction in this group. Characterization of these determinants allows us to predict that social changes such as rural/urban migration, declining family support and diminishing respect from children will have a negative effect on happiness and life satisfaction in our elders. It is important that, when planning intervention programmes for the elderly, these facets of wellbeing are not neglected.
评估津巴布韦老年人幸福度和生活满意度的决定因素。
基于社区的横断面调查。
津巴布韦东北部随机选取的村庄和两个城市地区。
278名年龄在60至92岁之间的受试者（男性124名，女性154名）。
由经过培训的访谈员到随机选取的每户家庭，对一名受试者进行家访，以完成一份问卷。
幸福度的独立决定因素为：农村居住情况、子女是否给予物质支持以及对经济状况的满意度。[调整后的优势比及置信区间分别为0.25（0.13至0.49）、0.45（0.22至0.94）和0.11（0.01至0.87）]。生活满意度的独立决定因素为：感觉比邻居过得好、从子女那里得到足够尊重以及对经济状况的满意度。[调整后的优势比及置信区间分别为0.73（0.59至0.91）、0.13（0.03至0.59）和0.24（0.1至0.61）]。
我们已证明，尽管生活艰苦，但大多数津巴布韦老年人是幸福的，50%的人对自己的生活感到满意，并且我们已确定了该群体幸福度和生活满意度的独立决定因素。对这些决定因素的特征描述使我们能够预测，诸如农村/城市迁移、家庭支持减少以及子女尊重程度降低等社会变化，将对我们老年人的幸福度和生活满意度产生负面影响。在为老年人规划干预项目时，重要的是不要忽视这些幸福方面。
