| 1. |
- Lampinen, Josefine, et al.
(author)
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Loneliness among very old people with and without dementia : prevalence and associated factors in a representative sample
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Ageing. - : Springer. - 1613-9372 .- 1613-9380. ; 19, s. 1441-1453
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Loneliness and dementia are common among very old (aged ≥ 80 years) people, but whether the prevalence of loneliness differs between very old people with and without dementia is unknown and few studies have investigated associated factors. The aims of the present study were to compare the prevalence of loneliness between people with and without dementia in a representative sample of very old people, and to investigate factors associated with loneliness in the two groups separately. This population-based study was conducted with data on 1176 people aged 85, 90, and ≥ 95 years (mean age 89.0 ± 4.47 years) from the Umeå 85 + /Gerontological Regional Database study conducted in northern Sweden, during year 2000–2017. Structured interviews and assessments were conducted during home visits. Loneliness was assessed using the question “Do you ever feel lonely?.” Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with loneliness in participants with and without dementia. The prevalence of loneliness did not differ between people with and without dementia (50.9% and 46.0%, respectively; p = 0.13). Seven and 24 of 35 variables were univariately associated with the experience of loneliness in participants with and without dementia, respectively. In the final models, living alone and having depressive symptoms were associated with the experience of loneliness in both study groups. In participants without dementia, living in a nursing home was associated with the experience of less loneliness. These findings contribute with important knowledge when developing strategies to reduce loneliness in this growing age group.
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| 2. |
- Niklasson, Johan, et al.
(author)
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High morale and survival
- 2016
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In: Journal of Psychosomatic Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-3999 .- 1879-1360. ; 85, s. 75-75
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 3. |
- Niklasson, Johan, et al.
(author)
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High morale is associated with increased survival in the very old
- 2015
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In: Age and Ageing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0002-0729 .- 1468-2834. ; 44:4, s. 630-636
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: high morale is defined as future-oriented optimism. Previous research suggests that a high morale independently predicts increased survival among old people, though very old people have not been specifically studied.OBJECTIVE: to investigate whether high morale is associated with increased survival among very old people.SUBJECTS: the Umeå 85+/GErontological Regional DAtabase-study (GERDA) recruited participants aged 85 years and older in northern Sweden and western Finland during 2000-02 and 2005-07, of whom 646 were included in this study.METHODS: demographic, functional- and health-related data were collected in this population-based study through structured interviews and assessments carried out during home visits and from reviews of medical records. The 17-item Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) was used to assess morale.RESULTS: the 5-year survival rate was 31.9% for participants with low morale, 39.4% for moderate and 55.6% for those with high morale. In an unadjusted Cox model, the relative risk (RR) of mortality was higher among participants with low morale (RR = 1.86, P < 0.001) and moderate morale (RR = 1.59, P < 0.001) compared with participants with high morale. Similar results were found after adjustment for age and gender. In a Cox model adjusted for several demographic, health- and function-related confounders, including age and gender, mortality was higher among participants with low morale (RR = 1.36, P = 0.032) than those with high morale. There was a similar but non-significant pattern towards increased mortality in participants with moderate morale (RR = 1.21, P value = 0.136).CONCLUSION: high morale is independently associated with increased survival among very old people.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Niklasson, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Higher morale is associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people
- 2017
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In: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics (Print). - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-4943 .- 1872-6976. ; 69, s. 61-68
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether higher morale, i.e. future-oriented optimism, at baseline was associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people.Methods The Umeå85+/GErontological Regional Database, a population-based study with a longitudinal design, recruited participants in Sweden and Finland aged 85, 90 and ≥95 years. The sample in the present study included 647 individuals (89.1±4.4 years (Mean±SD), range 85-103). After five years, 216 were alive and agreed to a follow-up (92.6±3.4 years, range 90-104). The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) was used to assess morale. The depressive disorder diagnosis was determined according to DSM-IV based on medical records and interview data including assessment scales for depressive disorders. A number of sociodemographic, functional and health-related variables were analysed as possible confounders.Results For those with no depressive disorders at baseline, the only baseline variable significantly associated with depressive disorders five years later was the PGCMS score. A logistic regression model showed lower risk of depressive disorders five years later with higher baseline PGCMS scores (odds ratio 0.779 for one point increase in PGCMS, p<0.001). The association remained after adjusting for social isolation (p<0.1 association with depressive disorders five years later).Conclusion Our results indicate that the higher the morale, the lower the risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people. The PGCMS seems to identify those very old individuals at increased risk of depressive disorders five years later. Preventive measures could befocused on this group.
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| 6. |
- Niklasson, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Psychometric properties and feasibility of the Swedish version of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale
- 2015
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In: Quality of Life Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0962-9343 .- 1573-2649. ; 24:11, s. 2795-2805
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: Morale is related to psychological well-being and quality of life in older people. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) is widely used to assess morale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and feasibility of the Swedish version of the 17-item PGCMS among very old people.METHODS: The Umea 85+/GERDA study included Swedish-speaking people aged 85, 90 and 95 years and older, from Sweden and Finland. Participants were interviewed in their own homes using a predefined set of questions. In the main sample, 493 individuals answered all 17 PGCMS items (aged 89.0 +/- 4.3 years). Another 105 answered between 1 and 16 questions (aged 89.6 +/- 4.4 years). A convenience sample was also collected, and 54 individuals answered all 17 PGCMS items twice (aged 84.7 +/- 6.7 years). The same assessor restated the questions within 1 week.RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha was 0.74 among those who answered all 17 questions in the main sample. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the construct validity of the most widely used version of the PGCMS, with 17 items and three factors, and showed a generally good fit. Among those answering between 1 and 17 PGCMS questions, 92.6 % (554/598) answered 16 or 17. The convenience sample was used for intra-rater test-retesting, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.89. The least significant change between two assessments, with 95 % confidence interval, was 3.53 PGCMS points.CONCLUSION: The Swedish version of the PGCMS seems to have satisfactory psychometric properties and feasibility among very old people.
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| 7. |
- Nyqvist, Fredrica, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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Active ageing : Results from Western Finland
- 2019
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In: Research on Finnish Society. - Turku : Society of Social and Economic Research in the Universities of Turku. - 1796-8739 .- 2490-0958. ; 12, s. 55-66
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Active Ageing Index (AAI) can be applied across countries to compare active aging outcomes, evaluate the current situation regarding ageing, and identify the most desired directions for policy action. While the AAI-EU is addressed on a national level, it can also be used for assessing active ageing policies on the municipal level, which is the case in this study. The aim of this article was to assess active ageing amongst older people in western parts of Finland by adapting the methodology used for the AAI-EU. We used GERDA data (n=5,011) collected from people aged 66, 71, 76, 81 and 86 for our descriptive analyses. The results showed that the municipalities differed in their active ageing outcomes, and that men and Swedish speakers generally scored higher on the index, which is something that warrants further investigation. Based on the results, we argue that AAI could potentially be used as a tool to monitor various dimensions of active ageing on a regional level and that gender and ethno-linguistic characteristics should be a central concern for a discussion on ageing in our study region.
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| 8. |
- Nyqvist, Fredrica, et al.
(author)
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Changes in active ageing in a Nordic regional context : Results based on the GERDA study in 2005 and 2016
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Social Welfare. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 1369-6866 .- 1468-2397. ; 31:1, s. 8-21
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study examined changes in active ageing among 65/66- and 75/76-year-olds in northern Sweden and western Finland. Data were retrieved from a repeated cross-sectional survey conducted in 2005 and 2016. Logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of ageing actively in terms of employment, social and political participation, confidence in healthcare, economic situation, self-rated health and social contacts. The results showed no significant changes in employment, social participation or economic situation. However, the level of political participation and self-rated good health was significantly higher in 2016 compared with 2005, whereas confidence in healthcare and social contacts was lower. Considering that the implementation of active ageing policies relies heavily on municipal and/or regional level in our study region, our results could be used as a framework for regional policymaking.
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| 9. |
- Nyqvist, Fredrica, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence of loneliness over ten years among the oldest old
- 2017
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 45:4, s. 411-418
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: This study examined the prevalence of loneliness among the oldest old within a 10-year period and studied the influence of various sociodemographic, social and health characteristics on loneliness.Methods: The study used population-based data from the Umea85+/GErontological Regional DAtabase-study (GERDA) for the years 2000-2002, 2005-2007 and 2010-2012 including 85-year-old, 90-year-old and 95-year-old participants. A final sample of 304 participants in 2000-2002, 329 participants in 2005-2007 and 401 participants in 2010-2012 was included in the analyses.Results: Although the level of loneliness was already high in 2000-2002 (49.3% reported frequent loneliness), the results showed limited changes in loneliness during the 10-year study period. Loneliness was closely related to living alone, depressive symptoms and living in institutional settings.Conclusions: Although societal changes such as solitary living and growing urbanization suggest a changing trend in loneliness, we found that the prevalence of loneliness was relatively stable in this study. Nevertheless, loneliness is common among the oldest old and a focus on social issues related to living arrangements and on depressive symptoms is important in understanding loneliness.
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| 10. |
- Nyqvist, Fredrica, et al.
(author)
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Social Capital and Loneliness Among the Very Old Living at Home and in Institutional Settings: A Comparative Study
- 2013
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In: Journal of Aging and Health. - : SAGE Publications (UK and US). - 0898-2643 .- 1552-6887. ; 25:6, s. 1013-1035
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between aspects of social capital and loneliness among the very old living at home and in institutional settings. Method: Half of those aged 85 years, and all 90- and 95-year-olds and older in urban and rural municipalities in northern Sweden and western Finland were invited to participate in a cross-sectional population-based study in 2005-2007. A sample of 483 participants who completed the study was included in the analyses. Results: Loneliness was experienced by 55% percent of those living in institutional settings often or sometimes and 45% of those living in their own homes. Loneliness was closely related to living alone, to depression, and to region (northern Sweden). Discussion: Social capital and loneliness are context dependent (i.e., geographical or living environment). Among the very old, the link between social capital resources and loneliness is also highly influenced by health status.
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