Social engagement and health and social care use and medication use among older people

Abstract

Social engagement has been associated with improved health outcomes in older people, although the precise mechanisms by which this is mediated are not clear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social engagement and health and social care use and medication use in older people. Data were derived from the 1985, 1989 and 1993 waves of the Nottingham Longitudinal Study of Activity and Ageing, a nationally representative sample of people aged 65 and over. Logistic regression models were used to determine whether social engagement predicted cross-sectional and longitudinal health and social care use and medication use. People with higher social engagement were significantly less likely to have seen their family doctor, the district nurse or home help services, and to be taking two or more medications cross-sectionally. This relationship was independent of demographic factors, physical and mental health and physical activity for contact with the district nurse or home help services. Higher social engagement was associated with reduced contact with home help services after 4 years, independent of demographic factors, physical and mental health, and with reduced medication use after 4 years in unadjusted models. Higher social engagement was associated with increased contact with home help services after 8 years, when controlling for demographic factors, physical and mental health and physical activity. Higher social engagement may help to reduce crosssectional health and social care service and medication use but further research is required to understand the benefits of social engagement and medium-and longterm service/medication use.

Participation needs of older adults having disabilities and receiving home care: met needs mainly concern daily activities, while unmet needs mostly involve social activities

“…Given the well-demonstrated benefits of fitness and participation in social activities [ 57 ], the older adult’s unmet needs in these domains are worrisome. Possible benefits of such active lifestyles also include reduced mortality [ 61 , 62 ], slower cognitive decline [ 62 ], decreased drug use, reduced use of health services [ 63 ], and reduced depressive symptoms [ 64 ]. As older adults in our study had difficulties in expressing their needs, considering meaning, level of interest and importance of activities could allow a better identification of unmet needs and improving quality of life [ 65 ].…”

Social capital, health, and care home residence among older adults: a secondary analysis of the Health Survey for England 2000

“…For example, a recent UK study found that social engagement predicted four-(but not eight-) year self-assessed health but not objective health in a cohort of 359 older adults (Bennett 2005). In another study, high social engagement was associated with reduced health service use when analysed cross-sectionally, but was associated with increased use of home help services at 8 year follow-up (Bath and Gardiner 2005).…”

Der Einfluss formeller und informeller Tätigkeiten auf die Qualität privater Beziehungen nach dem Übergang in den Ruhestand

“…Zur Feststellung der subjektiven physischen Gesundheit wurde eine modifizierte Version des SF-12 (Physical Component Scale (PCS)) verwendet (Nübling et al 2006;Ware et al 1996), der ein geeignetes Instrument darstellt, um körperliche Funktionen zu erfassen. Eine gute Gesundheit weist einen Zusammenhang mit sozialer Teilhabe auf, indem Sozialkontakte sich positiv auf die Gesundheit auswirken, andersherum stellt jedoch eine gute Gesundheit auch die Voraussetzung für das Aufrechterhalten sozialer Teilnahme dar (Bath/Gardiner 2005). Life Investment als die Bereitschaft, motivationale Energie in Abhängigkeit von der eigenen Entwicklungssituation entsprechend den Bedingungen einzusetzen, die durch die eigene Verfassung und durch den Lebenskontext und die Interaktion zwischen beidem definiert sind (Staudinger/Schindler 2008), wurde in dieser Untersuchung durch eine differenzierte Fragestellung untersucht: So wurden alle Personen befragt, inwiefern diese planend und aktiv Energie in die eigene Gesundheit, das Wohlergehen der Familie, berufsähnliche Tätigkeiten und in die Gestaltung der Freizeit investierten.…”