Widowhood, family support, and self‐rated health among older adults in China

Li, Yawen; Chi, Iris; Krochalk, Pamela C.; Xu, Ling

doi:10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00818.x

Cited by 24 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The proportion of self-rated health decline after SD increased signi cantly among women. This was consistent with the ndings of previous studies indicating that widowed older adults have poorer self-rated health [31,32] and that SD negatively affects health [33]. Men exhibited an obvious decline in mobility after SD, whereas the mobility of women improved, indicating a sex difference.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of spousal loss on depression in older adults

Chen¹,

Lee²,

Shiau³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: In addition to increasing the mortality among older adults, spousal death (SD) increases their risk of depression. This study explored the factors affecting depression among widowed older adults to provide health care strategies for successful aging. Methods: A total of 710 adults older than 60 years completed a questionnaire before and after their spouses’ deaths. The survey data included age, sex, ethnic group, education level, financial station socioeconomic status, SD (including time point), smoking status, alcohol consumption, self-rated health status, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score, mobility, and degree of support from relatives and friends. Results: The proportion of participants with depression after SD was 1.7 times that of before SD (P < 0.0001). Worsened mobility (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3, P < 0.01), low self-rated health status (OR = 0.5, P < 0.01), and a high degree of support from relatives and friends (OR = 1.5, P < 0.01) had a significant positive correlation with depression after SD. The proportion of depression that occurred within 6 months after SD was 6.0 times higher than that of depression before SD. Participants who lived alone after losing their spouses who were healthy before their deaths exhibited a significantly increased proportion of depression after their spouses’ deaths. Conclusion: Male sex, spouse’s health, and the period of 6 months after SD are risk factors for depression in older adults. The maintenance of mobility, positive self-rated health status, and a shorter period of depression after a spouse’s death result in more favorable adaptability among women. Social workers or family members should focus on older adults whose spouses died unexpectedly or within the last 6 months. Living with family members after SD can alleviate depression in older adults.

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of spousal loss on depression in older adults

Chen¹,

Lee²,

Shiau³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Support from children is obligatory and socially desirable. Perceiving children as filial and receiving instrumental, financial, and emotional support from children are associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better self-rated health among elderly Chinese parents (Guo et al., 2015; Li et al, 2011; Silverstein et al, 2006; Xu et al, 2016). Furthermore, support from children may offer health advantage over support from others.…”

Section: Theoretical Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Few examined the relationship between anticipated support and general health status. Self-rated health is one's self-assessment of overall health status and is a better predictor of mortality than physicians' assessments in the U.S. and China (Li et al, 2011; Lynch, 2003). Received social support and perceived adequacy of received support are associated with better self-rated health in the U.S. (Krause, 1987; White et al, 2009) and China (Li et al, 2011; Liu et al, 1995).…”

Section: Theoretical Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anticipated support from children and later-life health in the United States and China

Cheng

2017

Social Science & Medicine

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Past research has shown that anticipated support, the belief that someone will provide support if needed, benefits health. Few studies considered whether the relationship between anticipated support and health depends on the source of such support. This project addresses this gap and examines how anticipated support from children is related to older parents' health and whether such support can be replaced by anticipated support from other relatives and friends. Ordered logit and negative binomial regression models with lagged health outcomes were estimated using nationally representative data from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study and the 2011 and 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Results suggest that anticipated support from children is related to older parents' better self-rated health and fewer depressive symptoms in both countries. In the U.S. where filial norms are relatively weak, anticipated support from others is no less important for health than anticipated support from children. However, in China where filial norms are relatively strong, parents anticipating support only from others are no different in health from those anticipating support from no one.

show abstract

“…There might be due to the fact that family support may still matter most for widowed older adults in China. Previous studies have shown that perceived filial piety of children by widowed old adults conferred a buffering effect on selfrated health for those long-term widowed [28]. Such beneficial effect was observed in another study which shows that children listening to older parents, showing consideration and care, and showing respect buffered the deleterious psychological effects of widowhood [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Social Participation and Life Satisfaction Among Widowed Older Adults in China

Li¹,

Xu²,

Min³

et al. 2016

J Gerontol Geriatr Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim: Little is known about how widowed older adults in China adjust during widowhood. This paper examines the relationship between their changes in social participation following spousal loss and their reported life satisfaction. Methods:Using two-wave (2000 and 2006) national representative data from China, we regressed measures of widowhood status, changes of social participation, health function, financial strain as well as living arrangement on life satisfaction after adjusting for baseline life satisfaction and other sociodemographic variables.Results: Increased social participation was related to higher levels of life satisfaction. This study did not find evidence that individuals who experienced widowhood would benefit more compared to those remained married from increasing social participation after spousal loss. Conclusions:Social participation is one way older adults can potentially improve life satisfaction. In addition to focusing on family support during widowhood, practitioners could consider developing appropriate social activities to engage older adults with particular consideration of those remained widowed for long.

show abstract

Widowhood, family support, and self‐rated health among older adults in China

Cited by 24 publications

References 48 publications

Effect of spousal loss on depression in older adults

Effect of spousal loss on depression in older adults

Anticipated support from children and later-life health in the United States and China

Social Participation and Life Satisfaction Among Widowed Older Adults in China

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About