| 1. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-
(författare)
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Correlates and predictors of loneliness in old age : Evidence from Sweden and England
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- It is important to identify factors associated with loneliness in older people if effective policies and strategies to prevent and reduce loneliness are to be developed. In this presentation two studies that identify factors associated with loneliness in old age are reported. Strengths and weaknesses of the studies, which differ in design and focus, shed light on issues of importance for future studies on loneliness.The first study was based on data from two waves of SWEOLD, a Swedish longitudinal national survey study (N=613). It aimed to examine the extent to which older people (70+) report feelings of loneliness with a focus on changes in loneliness over time, and on factors predicting loneliness in women and men, respectively. This study showed that older people moved in and out of loneliness over time, but there was a general increase in loneliness as they aged. It also identified gender differences in both incidence and risk factors.The second study was based on data from the Barnsley Social Exclusion in Old Age Study, an English cross-sectional community survey (N=1255), and aimed to identify risk factors for social and emotional loneliness in older people (65+). This study identified different, as well as shared, risk factors for social and emotional loneliness, thereby providing further empirical support for the conceptual separation of emotional and social loneliness.Taken together, these studies demonstrate the importance of: 1) longitudinal research in order to determine risk factors for loneliness; 2) considering women and men separately; and 3) looking at social and emotional loneliness separately. These approaches in combination will aid the development of effective interventions to reduce loneliness in the older population and to ensure those interventions are targeted at the appropriate groups.
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| 2. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Correlates of social and emotional loneliness in older people : evidence from an English community study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 18:4, s. 504-514
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Loneliness is an important influence on quality of life in old age, and has been conceptualised as consisting of two dimensions, social and emotional. This paper describes analyses that sought to produce models of social and emotional loneliness in older people, using demographic, psychological and health, and social variables.Method: Older people (aged 65+, N=1255) from the Barnsley metropolitan area of the United Kingdom were recruited randomly from within a stratified sampling frame, and received a questionnaire-based interview (response rate: 68.1%). The questionnaire contained items and scales on demographic, psychological and health and social characteristics, and a validated measure of loneliness that assesses both social and emotional loneliness.Results: Of the respondents, 7.7% were found to be severely or very severely lonely, while another 38.3% were moderately lonely. Social and Emotional Loneliness shared 19.36% variance. Being male, being widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, low income comfort, low contact with family, low contact with friends, low Activity, low Perceived Community Integration, and receipt of community care were significant predictors of Social Loneliness (R=.50, R2=.25, F(18, 979)=18.17, p<.001). Being widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high activity restriction, low income comfort, and non-receipt of informal care were significant predictors of Emotional Loneliness (R=.55, R2=.30, F(18, 973)=23.00, p<.001).Conclusion: This study provides further empirical support for the conceptual separation of emotional and social loneliness. Consequently, policy on loneliness in older people should be directed to developing a range of divergent intervention strategies if both emotional and social loneliness are to be reduced.
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| 3. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-
(författare)
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De äldre och ensamheten
- 2013
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Ingår i: Äldre i Centrum. - 1653-3585. ; :1, s. 46-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
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| 4. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors of loneliness among older women and men in Sweden : A national longitudinal study
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objectives: To examine the extent to which older women and men (70+) report feelings of loneliness with a focus on: a) changes in reported loneliness as people age, and b) which factors predict loneliness.Methods: Data from the 2004 and 2011 waves of SWEOLD, a longitudinal national survey study, was used. The prediction of loneliness in 2011 by data collected in 2004 was examined in three logistic regression models for the total sample (n=587), for women and for men.Results: Older people moved in and out of frequent loneliness over time, but there was a general increase in loneliness as they aged. Recent widowhood and depression increment were associated with loneliness in both women and men. Loneliness, widowhood, depression and mobility problems measured in 2004 predicted loneliness uniquely in women in 2011; whereas low level of education and social contact reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in men.Discussion: Loneliness is not always a stable condition, demonstrating the importance of longitudinal research. Gender differences in incidence and predictors make it important to look at women and men separately both when researching loneliness and when targeting interventions to prevent or reduce loneliness in older people.
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| 5. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Psychological, health and social predictors of emotional and social loneliness in older people
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 20th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Seoul, Korea.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Loneliness in old age has been shown to have negative outcomes such as mortality, physical and mental health problems, and reduced activity levels. To reduce loneliness in older people, factors associated with loneliness and open to intervention must be identified.Methods: Older people (aged 65+, N=1255) from the United Kingdom received a questionnaire-based interview (response rate: 66.0%). The questionnaire covered items on demographic, psychological, health and social characteristics. It also contained the de Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale (de Jong-Gierveld & Kamphuis, 1985), measuring Emotional and Social Loneliness.Findings: Eight percent of the respondents were found to be severely or very severely lonely, while another 38% were moderately lonely. Being female, widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high activity restriction, and high concern about personal finances were significant predictors of Emotional Loneliness (F(17, 976)=25.59, R2=.31, p<.001). Being female, widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high concern about personal finances, low contact with family, low contact with friends, low engagement, and low perceived community integration were significant predictors of Social Loneliness (F(17, 982)=19.63, R2=.25, p<.001).Discussion: This study provides empirical evidence for conceptual separation of emotional and social loneliness. Consequently, different targets for intervention are required in order to reduce emotional and social loneliness respectively, although psychological intervention has the potential to reduce both. Background: Loneliness in old age has been shown to have negative outcomes such as mortality, physical and mental health problems, and reduced activity levels. To reduce loneliness in older people, factors associated with loneliness and open to intervention must be identified.Methods: Older people (aged 65+, N=1255) from the United Kingdom received a questionnaire-based interview (response rate: 66.0%). The questionnaire covered items on demographic, psychological, health and social characteristics. It also contained the de Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale (de Jong-Gierveld & Kamphuis, 1985), measuring Emotional and Social Loneliness.Findings: Eight percent of the respondents were found to be severely or very severely lonely, while another 38% were moderately lonely. Being female, widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high activity restriction, and high concern about personal finances were significant predictors of Emotional Loneliness (F(17, 976)=25.59, R2=.31, p<.001). Being female, widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high concern about personal finances, low contact with family, low contact with friends, low engagement, and low perceived community integration were significant predictors of Social Loneliness (F(17, 982)=19.63, R2=.25, p<.001).Discussion: This study provides empirical evidence for conceptual separation of emotional and social loneliness. Consequently, different targets for intervention are required in order to reduce emotional and social loneliness respectively, although psychological intervention has the potential to reduce both.
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| 6. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-
(författare)
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Risk för ensamhet
- 2013
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Ingår i: Äldre i Centrum. - 1653-3585. ; :3, s. 20-21
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- McKee, Kevin, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Five years from now : Correlates of older people’s expectation of future quality of life
- 2014
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Ingår i: Age Well - Challenges for Individuals and Society.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Few studies have explored older people’s expected future quality of life (QoL), despite evidence that perceptions of one’s future influence healthy ageing. Research on this topic should embrace a range of potential influences, including perceptions of one’s neighbourhood and region. This study examined expected QoL in a random sample of the population of Dalarna, a Swedish region. A self-completion questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, current neighbourhood and regional evaluations, self-evaluations, expectations for the future, and current and expected QoL. In total, 786 people aged ≥ 65 years participated. Current QoL was favourably evaluated, and while expected QoL also received a positive assessment, the mean value for expected QoL was notably lower than that for current QoL (t(755)=24.06, p<.05). Indeed, only 3.6% (n=27) of participants rated their expected QoL higher than their current QoL. A sequential multiple regression model explained 44% of the variance in older people’s expected QoL. Nine IVs were significant (p<.05) in the final model of expected QoL: current QoL (1% unique variance explained), age (1%), education level (1%), Regional Development Beliefs (1%), Perceived Regional Status (2%), self-reported health (3%), social influence (1%), Expected Regional Opportunity (3%) and expected change in housing need (1%). Our findings establish the significance of an older person’s perception of their locality for their expected future QoL. Policies that focus only on individual and relational factors for the promotion of healthy ageing are overlooking the potential contribution of an older person’s connection to their neighbourhood and region.
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| 11. |
- Nosowska, Geraldine, et al.
(författare)
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Using structured observation and content analysis to explore the presence of older people in public fora in developing countries
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Aging Research. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 2090-2204 .- 2090-2212. ; , s. 860612-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a lack of research on the everyday lives of older people in developing countries. This exploratory study used structured observation and content analysis to examine the presence of older people in public fora, and considered the methods’ potential for understanding older people’s social integration and inclusion. Structured observation occurred of public social spaces in six cities each located in a different developing country, and in one city in the United Kingdom, together with content analysis of the presence of people in newspaper pictures and on television in the selected countries. Results indicated that across all fieldwork sites and data sources, there was a low presence of older people, with women considerably less present than men in developing countries. There was variation across fieldwork sites in older people’s presence by place and time of day, and in their accompanied status. The presence of older people in images drawn from newspapers was associated with the news/non-news nature of the source. The utility of the study’s methodological approach is considered, as is the degree to which the presence of older people in public fora might relate to social integration and inclusion in different cultural contexts.
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| 12. |
- Orrell, Alison, et al.
(författare)
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Improving continence services for older people from the service-providers’ perspective : a qualitative interview study
- 2013
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 3:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To examine in depth the views and experiences of continence service leads in England on key service and continence management characteristics in order to identify and to improve our understanding of barriers to a good-quality service and potential facilitators to develop and to improve services for older people with urinary incontinence (UI).Design: Qualitative semistructured interviews using a purposive sample recruited across 16 continence services.Setting: 3 acute and 13 primary care National Health Service Trusts in England.Participants: 16 continence service leads in England actively treating and managing older people with UI.Results: In terms of barriers to a good-quality service, participants highlighted a failure on the part of commissioners, managers and other health professionals in recognising the problem of UI and in acknowledging the importance of continence for older people and prevalent negative attitudes towards continence and older people. Patient assessment and continence promotion regardless of age, rather than pad provision, were identified as important steps for a good-quality service for older people with UI. More rapid and appropriate patient referral pathways, investment in service capacity, for example, more trained staff and strengthened interservice collaborations and a higher profile within medical and nurse training were specified as being important facilitators for delivering an equitable and highquality continence service. There is a need, however, to consider the accounts given by our participants as perhaps serving the interests of their professional group within the context of interprofessional work.Conclusions: Our data point to important barriers and facilitators of a good-quality service for older people with UI, from the perspective of continence service leads. Further research should address the views of other stakeholders, and explore options for the empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of identified service facilitators.
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| 13. |
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