Financial difficulty and biopsychosocial predictors of loneliness: A cross-sectional study of community dwelling older adults

Cheung, Gary; Clair, Valerie Wright‐St; Chacko, Emme; Barak, Yoram

doi:10.1016/j.archger.2019.103935

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Furthermore, people who were already at risk of being lonely, including adults living alone, experienced a heightened risk during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before. More specifically, living alone is an indicator of social isolation [ 32 ], and previous studies have repeatedly pointed out that living alone is a risk factor for loneliness in older adults [ 33 , 34 ]. In this context, older adults living alone may be more likely to experience loneliness under the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception of COVID-19 Restrictions on Daily Life among Japanese Older Adults: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

et al. 2020

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed older adults to health and social risks. This study examined the perceptions of community-dwelling older adults regarding how COVID-19 restricted their daily lives. Six focus-group interviews were conducted with 24 participants (mean age, 78.2 ± 5.5 years) living in urban and rural areas in Japan. Then, a qualitative inductive content analysis was performed. Six themes were generated: “fear of infection and public, watchful eyes,” “consistency in daily personal life,” “pain from reducing my social life,” “readiness to endure a restricted life,” “awareness of positive changes in myself,” and “concern for a languishing society.” There was no change that would make their lives untenable, and they continued their daily personal lives at a minimum level. However, their social lives were reduced, which over the long term can lead to a lost sense of purpose in life. This was reported as an adverse factor in the development of other diseases and functional decline in previous studies. While there is no doubt that infection prevention is important, supporting older adults in engaging in activities that provide a sense of purpose in life could contribute to their present and future overall health including mental health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception of COVID-19 Restrictions on Daily Life among Japanese Older Adults: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

et al. 2020

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“…Loneliness is relatively common in our community. Two recent studies found that one in five older New Zealanders assessed with the interRAI Home Care (interRAI-HC) assessment reported feelings of loneliness [11,12], which is nearly twice the rate (11%) in the general older population [13]. For those interRAI subjects who were lonely, 27% had significant depressive symptoms and more than half (56%) stated poor or fair self-rated health [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Functional limitation is one of the main aetiological factors for loneliness in older adults [17][18][19]. Given the pre-existing high rates of loneliness, depression and poor/fair self-rated health in the interRAI population [11], we hypothesise that this population is at-risk of experiencing further decline in their health and psychosocial well-being as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and self-isolation. The aims of this study are to (1) track the impact of COVID-19 on self-reported mood, self-rated health, other health and psychosocial indicators, and health services utilization of people who have an interRAI assessment during the first year of COVID-19; (2) compare these indicators with the same indicators in people who had an interRAI assessment in the year before COVID-19; and (3) report these indicators publicly as soon as data analysis is completed every 3 months.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on the health and psychosocial status of vulnerable older adults: study protocol for an observational study

et al. 2020

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Background Many countries around the world have adopted social distancing as one of the public health measures to reduce COVID-19 transmissions in the community. Such measures could have negative effects on the mental health of the population. The aims of this study are to (1) track the impact of COVID-19 on self-reported mood, self-rated health, other health and psychosocial indicators, and health services utilization of people who have an interRAI assessment during the first year of COVID-19; (2) compare these indicators with the same indicators in people who had an interRAI assessment in the year before COVID-19; and (3) report these indicators publicly as soon as data analysis is completed every 3 months. Methods interRAI COVID-19 Study (iCoS) is an observational study on routinely collected national data using the interRAI Home Care and Contact Assessment, which are standardized geriatric assessment tools mandated for all people assessed for publicly funded home support services and aged residential care in New Zealand. Based on the 2018/19 figures, we estimated there are 36,000 interRAI assessments per annum. We will compare the four post-lockdown quarters (from 25th March 2020) with the respective pre-lockdown quarters. The primary outcomes are self-reported mood (feeling sad, depressed or hopeless: 0 = no, 1 = yes) and self-rated health (0 = excellent, 1 = good, 2 = fair, 3 = poor). We will also analyze sociodemographics, other secondary health and psychosocial indicators, and health services utilization. Descriptive statistics will be conducted for primary outcomes and other indicators for each of the eight quarters. We will compare the quarters using regression models adjusted for demographic characteristics using weights or additional variables. Key health and psychosocial indicators will be reported publicly as soon as data analysis is completed for each quarter in the 12-month post-lockdown period by using a data visualization tool. Discussion This rapid translation of routinely collected national interRAI data will provide a means to monitor the health and psychosocial well-being of vulnerable older New Zealanders. Insights from this study can be shared with other countries that use interRAI and prepare health and social services for similar epidemics/pandemics in the future.

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“…Recently, data from over 51,000 assessments of older adults demonstrated that the factors with the largest association with loneliness were depression, living alone and financial difficulty. 17 Currently, more than half of older New Zealand citizens have less than US$100 per week income from sources other than government transfers. Poverty at the individual level is associated with suicidal ideations and behaviours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No country for older men: ageing male suicide in New Zealand

Barak

Cheung

Fortune

et al. 2020

Australas Psychiatry

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Objective: Suicide rates increase in late life. There is, however, a gap in understanding suicide in the very old. We aimed to underscore the evidence for high rates of death by suicide in the oldest-old men (age 85+) in New Zealand and to provide a conjectural discussion about factors driving these rates. Method: Provisional suicide data were obtained from the New Zealand Coronial Services website for the period 2011–2019. Yearly suicide rates for those aged 85+ were plotted over time. Mean suicide rates were calculated for three youth and young adult male cohorts, identified by the Coroner as having very high rates, and compared with the 85+ age cohort. Results: Between 2011 and 2019, rates of death by suicide of older males remained consistently high never overlapping female suicide rates. Mean suicide deaths/100,000 population for all four age cohorts were comparable; 15–19 years: 23.5; 20–24 years: 29.0; 25–29 years: 27.0; 85+ years: 27.9. Conclusions: Deaths by suicide are very high for older males. In addition to established risk factors, psychosocial adversity as reflected by loneliness, poverty and shift to residential care may be major reasons for the high suicide rates. Research to inform about this vulnerable population and prevention are urgently needed.

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Financial difficulty and biopsychosocial predictors of loneliness: A cross-sectional study of community dwelling older adults

Cited by 19 publications

References 24 publications

Perception of COVID-19 Restrictions on Daily Life among Japanese Older Adults: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Perception of COVID-19 Restrictions on Daily Life among Japanese Older Adults: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Impact of COVID-19 on the health and psychosocial status of vulnerable older adults: study protocol for an observational study

No country for older men: ageing male suicide in New Zealand

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