Driving Cessation and Social Isolation in Older Adults

Qin, Weidi; Xiang, Xiaoling; Taylor, Harry Owen

doi:10.1177/0898264319870400

Cited by 47 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Although not directly testable with our data, this finding may suggest that functional impairment (i.e., no longer being able to drive) helps explain why health problems are associated with suicide (55). While driving cessation is more common among women than men (56)(57)(58)(59), studies suggest that driving cessation fractures social connections for men more than for women (31,60). Further, aging adults belonging to minority racial groups have also been found to be more likely to stop driving, although their risk of suicide is much lower than that of non-Hispanic whites (56,57).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

“…Although the relationship between driving cessation and depression is well-documented, to our knowledge, the frequency of suicide related to driving cessation among aging adults has never been estimated (30)(31)(32). Therefore, the present analysis aims to (1) Estimate the frequency of driving cessation associated suicide among aging adults, (2) describe the salient circumstances and features of decedents of suicide associated with driving cessation using quantitative and qualitative approaches, and (3) discuss the utility of a supervised random forest algorithm in identifying driving cessation associated suicides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Data Science Approach to Estimating the Frequency of Driving Cessation Associated Suicide in the US: Evidence From the National Violent Death Reporting System

Kalesnikava

Jurgens

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Driving cessation is a common transition experienced by aging adults that confers both a symbolic and literal loss of independence due to the central role of automobiles for mobility in the US. Prior research has shown that driving cessation has negative implications for mental health, social participation, and access to healthcare. Given these sequelae of driving cessation and prior work showing that late-life transitions related to independence (e.g., transitioning into residential care) are associated with suicide, we sought to estimate the frequency of driving cessation associated suicide. Data include suicide (n = 59,080) and undetermined (n = 6,862) deaths aged ≥55 from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS, 2003–2017). Each case in the NVDRS has both quantitative data (e.g., demographic characteristics) and qualitative text narratives, derived from coroner/medical examiner reports, which describe the most salient circumstances and features of each death. To identify cases associated with driving cessation, we employed a supervised random forest algorithm to develop a Natural Language Processing (NLP) classifier. Identified driving cessation associated cases were then categorized and characterized using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. From 2003 to 2017, there were an estimated 305 cases of suicide/undetermined deaths associated with driving cessation in the NVDRS, representing 0.04% of all cases. Cases associated with driving cessation were older, more likely to be male, more likely to have a physical health problem, more likely to have experienced a recent crisis, and more likely to have lived in a rural county than other decedents. Qualitative analysis identified functional impairment, alcohol-related driving limitations, loss of employment, and recent car accidents as common themes among cases associated with driving cessation. This analysis illustrates the utility of NLP in identifying novel correlates of suicide in later life. Although driving cessation associated suicide is a rare outcome, further research is warranted on understanding the conditions under which driving cessation is associated with suicidal behavior, and how to support the well-being of aging adults during these types of major life transitions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Data Science Approach to Estimating the Frequency of Driving Cessation Associated Suicide in the US: Evidence From the National Violent Death Reporting System

Kalesnikava

Jurgens

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…Control variables in our models were also limited because we considered comparability between the two surveys. For instance, although several studies suggested transport difficulties including driving cessation, or geographic location as possible risk factors for social isolation among older adults, we could not include these factors 30 . Third, JAGES data are not representative of the whole country.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross‐national comparison of social isolation and mortality among older adults: A 10‐year follow‐up study in Japan and England

Saito

Aida

Cable

et al. 2020

Geriatrics Gerontology Int

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Aim Existing evidence links social isolation with poor health. To examine differences in the mortality risk by social isolation, and in socio‐economic correlates of social isolation, we analyzed large‐scale cohort studies in Japan and England. Methods Participants were drawn from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We analyzed the 10‐year mortality among 15 313 JAGES participants and 5124 ELSA respondents. Social isolation was measured by two scales, i.e., scoring the frequency of contact with close ties, and a composite measurement of social isolation risk. We calculated the population attributable fraction, and Cox regression models with multiple imputations were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality due to social isolation. Results The proportion of those with contact frequency of less than once a month was 8.5% in JAGES and 1.3% in ELSA. Males, older people, those with poor self‐rated health, and unmarried people were significantly associated with social isolation in both countries. Both scales showed that social isolation among older adults had a remarkably higher risk for premature death (less frequent contact with others in JAGES: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.33, in ELSA: HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.85–1.89; and high isolation risk score in JAGES: HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.50, in ELSA: HR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.52–2.73). The population attributable fraction showed less frequent contact with close ties was attributed to about 18 000 premature deaths annually in Japan, in contrast with about 1800 in England. Conclusions Negative health impacts of social isolation were higher among older Japanese compared with those in England. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 209–214.

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“…Research has also found that mobility loss in late-life causes depression and feelings of social isolation (e.g. Fonda et al 2001;Qin et al 2019).…”

Section: Transport Mobility and Well-being In Late-lifementioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Accessibility: Transport Systems as a Societal Structure Supporting Inclusion in Late-Life

Siren

2021

International Perspectives on Aging

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Mobility is associated with well-being, and an age-inclusive transport system is a prerequisite for satisfactory mobility throughout the life course. Yet a transport system – including the physical characteristics of environments, planning processes, design, and policies – involves more than allowing people and goods to move from one location to another. Rather, it is an arena of everyday life, related not only to direct service accessibility but also to wider social inclusion. If the structures surrounding late life transport mobility can match the changing needs of older adults in a changing society, they have the potential for supporting good ageing and social inclusion. Accessibility problems can be targeted through single-domain interventions, such as online shopping, telemedicine and care at home. However, targeting the loss of social inclusion caused by lack of transportation requires a broader understanding of transport as a social structure. This chapter reviews the scholarship on the links between transport mobility, well-being and social inclusion or exclusion. To demonstrate the mismatch between individual aspirations and surrounding structures, it revisits the concept of “structural lag” from the transport perspective. It also gives an overview of knowledge gaps related to transport and social inclusion or exclusion in late life.

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Driving Cessation and Social Isolation in Older Adults

Cited by 47 publications

References 39 publications

A Data Science Approach to Estimating the Frequency of Driving Cessation Associated Suicide in the US: Evidence From the National Violent Death Reporting System

A Data Science Approach to Estimating the Frequency of Driving Cessation Associated Suicide in the US: Evidence From the National Violent Death Reporting System

Cross‐national comparison of social isolation and mortality among older adults: A 10‐year follow‐up study in Japan and England

Beyond Accessibility: Transport Systems as a Societal Structure Supporting Inclusion in Late-Life

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