Severity of loneliness and factors associated with social and emotional loneliness among the elderly in three districts in Shanghai
10.3969/j.issn.1672-8467.2024.01.001
- VernacularTitle:老年人孤独感严重程度以及社交孤独、情感孤独的影响因素——以上海市3个区为例
- Author:
Yu-Wen ZHANG
1
;
Ying WANG
;
Zhao-Hua XIN
;
Jia-Lie FANG
;
Rui SONG
;
Hao-Cen LI
;
Jia-Wen KUANG
;
Yu-Ting YANG
;
Jing-Yi WANG
Author Information
1. 复旦大学公共卫生学院社会医学教研室-国家卫生健康委员会卫生技术评估重点实验室(复旦大学) 上海 200032
- Keywords:
social loneliness;
emotional loneliness;
associated factors;
the elderly
- From:
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences
2024;51(1):1-11
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the severity of loneliness among the elderly in communities in Shanghai,and to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness respectively.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in older adults aged 65 years or above in Pudong New Area,Jing'an District and Huangpu District in Shanghai from Mar to Jun 2021.In Pudong New Area,multi-stage stratified random sampling was conducted based on the age and gender distribution of Shanghai,while in Huangpu District and Jing'an District convenience sampling was conducted.A total of 635 samples were included in the study.Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale with social and emotional loneliness subscales.Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness.Results Among the 635 participants,only 53 older adults(8.4%)were not lonely.Female(OR=0.46,95%CI:0.31-0.70),higher self-efficacy(OR=0.97,95%CI:0.94-1.00),more objective social support(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe social loneliness.Meanwhile,higher level of education(secondary education,OR=0.56,95%CI:0.34-0.95;college or above,OR=0.30,95%CI:0.11-0.83)and higher self-efficacy(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe emotional loneliness,while depression(OR=3.41,95%CI:1.76-6.60)and worse social capital(OR=2.02,95%CI:1.29-3.16)were associated with more severe emotional loneliness.Conclusion Up to 91.6%of the elderly in our study sample were moderately lonely or above.The factors associated with social loneliness include self-efficacy,gender and social support.The factors associated with emotional loneliness are self-efficacy,education level,depression,and social capital.
