Happiness and Background Factors in Community-Dwelling Older Persons.

Abstract

Table 1 Distribution of survey subjects by happiness, by age and sex CI indicates cofidence interval. and Background Factors in Community-Dwelling Older Persons Ryuichi Kawamoto1), Takaaki Doi1), Akihiro Yamada1), Masanobu Okayama2), Kouki Tsuruoka2), Motomi Satho3) and Eiji Kajii2) In order to maintain and improve mental health of elderly people living in the community, a cross sectional survey was conducted to elucidate their happiness and background factors. The subjects were elderly persons living in the community who were able to fill in the questionnaire themselves. The study employed the self-recording questionnaire forms used in Kahoku Longitudinal Aging Study by Matsubayashi et al. Happiness was assessed using a visual analogue scale. Out of 2,379 elderly persons who were able to fill in the questionnaire by themselves in 2,361 (99.2%) returned the questionnaire sheets. After removing inadequate responses, analysis was possible for 1,873 (78.7%) (860 men (average age 72.7 years) and 1,013 women (average age 72.8 years)). Among those with greater happiness, the ratio of those living with others (p= 0.0051) was high, as well as those with spouses (p=0.0240), without a history of hypertension (p=0.0096) and apoplexy (p=0.0039), not receiving medication regularly (p=0.0039), with regular habit of walking (p<0.001), or with work (p< 0.001). As for the relationship between happiness and various scores, the higher the happiness scale became, the scores for ADL, information-related function, functional and emotional support network, healthy condition, appetite condition, sleep condition, memory condition, family relationships, friendship, economic condition became significantly higner (p<0.001, respectively). On multiple regression analysis using the background factors for happiness as explanatory variables, factors such as functional support network (p<0.001), emotional support network (p=0.0254), healthy condition (p<0.001), good memory condition (p=0.0027), friendship (p<0.001), good economic condition (p<0.001) were significant independent contributing factors. As for the relation between SDS and happiness, the more serious the SDS score (higher score) became, the scores for the feeling of happiness became significantly smaller (p<0.001). For amelioration of the happiness of elderly persons living in the community, attempts should be made to improve the background factors clarified by the present study by efficiently utilizing health, medical and welfare services.

Evaluation of health-related quality of life using EQ-5D in Takamatsu, Japan

“…While educational attainment was associated with SRH in the young age group, adjusted household income was associated with self-rated physical health in the middle-age and old-age groups [33]. Some previous studies using SRH for elderly individuals in Japan have identified that factors such as years of education, income, depression, stress, sense of coherence, hobby activities, joining in social activities, and getting social support are strongly related to HRQOL [23,24,[34][35][36][37]. More studies are expected to investigate relationships between each factor and Japanese HRQOL.…”

“…Recent investigations have pointed out that Japanese HRQOL might be affected by factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, health-related behaviors, some diseases, and social networks [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]. A previous study using SRH in Japan revealed that female educational attainment shows significant linear associations with SRH [33].…”

“…However, few studies have evaluated the relationships between EQ-5D index and social background, health-related behaviors, and chronic conditions in the Japanese general population. According to common health surveys in Japan (e.g., the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions of the People by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare), self-rated health (SRH) has mainly been used to investigate subjective HRQOL in the general Japanese population [1,23,24,[33][34][35][36][37]. However, it is difficult to describe Japanese HRQOL as a multidimensional concept using only a SRH questionnaire.…”

Happiness as Surplus or Freely Available Energy

“…Ample evidence demonstrates that people are happier with better social support or more social involvement (Baumeister & Leary, 1995;Booth, 1992;Brim, 1974;Chan & Lee, 2006;Gundelach & Kreinar, 2004;Jopp & Rott, 2006;Kehle & Bray, 2003;Lane, 1994Lane, , 2000Lu, 1999;Lu, Shih, Lin, & Ju, 1997;Natvig, Albrektsen, & Qvarnstrom, 2003;Neto, 2001;North, Holahan, Moos, & Cronkite, 2008;Perneger, Hudelson, & Bovier, 2004;Ryuichi et al, 1999;Singh et al, 2004;Uchida, Norasakkunkit, & Kitayama, 2004). Happiness is positively associated with self-esteem (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2003), and self-esteem reflects belongingness (Leary & Baumeister, 2000).…”

The Impact of the Six-Week Walking on the Elderly’s Happiness and Mental Health

“…Turner (7) ercise gained a lower average score in happiness than those with high levels of physical activity. Happiness had a direct relationship with improvement of the quality of appetite, sleep, memory, family relationships, friendship, family status and the elderly people's mental health and quality of life (8).…”