Title: A multidimensional perspective of the relation between social
isolation and depression among Portuguese older adults |
Authors: Henriques, Ana ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Talih, Makram ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Pastor-Valero, Maria ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Fraga, Sílvia ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Dias, Isabel ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Matijasevich, Alicia ![](/image/ORCID.jpg) Barros, Henrique |
Editor: Wiley |
Department: Departamentos de la UMH::Salud Pública, Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología |
Issue Date: 2021-05 |
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/11000/30541 |
Abstract:
We aimed to explore how different social isolation components were associated
with depression among older adults in Portugal. We analysed data collected through
structured questionnaires in 2017 from 643 Portuguese adults aged 60 and over.
Depression was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (Short-Form).
Social
isolation was operationalised using objective indicators –living
alone, marital status,
leisure activities –and
subjective indicator –perceived
social support. Because social
isolation is a multidimensional construct that is likely to be more than the sum
of its components, cluster analysis was conducted to group individuals into social
isolation profiles. Associations were estimated using adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and
95% confidence intervals (CIs). Five profiles were identified: Cluster 1 (partnered;
high social support; high variety of leisure activities); Cluster 2 (partnered; high social
support; few leisure activities); Cluster 3 (not partnered; low social support; few
leisure activities); Cluster 4 (living alone; high social support; high variety of leisure
activities); Cluster 5 (partnered; high social support; limited variety of leisure activities).
Compared with Cluster 1, participants in Cluster 2 were three times more likely
to have depression, independent of age, gender, education, comorbidities and self-rated
health (OR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.38–6.71).
Participants in Cluster 3 presented the
highest probability of depression that was not explained by any of the confounders
(OR = 4.74; 95% CI: 2.15–10.44).
Older adults living alone are not necessarily more
prone to depression, with social support and leisure activities playing an important
role. To disentangle how social isolation affects health, objective and subjective isolation
measures should be considered.
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Keywords/Subjects: ageing depression leisure activities social isolation social support |
Knowledge area: CDU: Ciencias aplicadas: Medicina |
Type of document: application/pdf |
Access rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13471 |
Appears in Collections: Artículos Salud Pública, Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología
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