Effect of social isolation on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly
10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-9026.2024.08.019
- VernacularTitle:社交孤立对老年人心脑血管疾病的影响研究
- Author:
Jiapei XU
1
;
Lingbing MENG
;
Jianyi LI
;
Dishan WU
;
Luyao ZHANG
;
Deping LIU
Author Information
1. 北京大学第五临床医学院，北京 100730
- Keywords:
Social behavior;
Life style;
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases;
Loneliness
- From:
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics
2024;43(8):1065-1071
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To examine the social isolation(SI)status among the elderly population in China and its effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases(CCVD).Methods:Utilizing data from the Fourth China Urban and Rural Elderly Living Conditions Sample Survey, the social isolation(SI)score was determined based on four components: marital status, living arrangements, frequency of contact with relatives and friends, and social participation.The χ2 test was employed to examine variations among socially isolated individuals, regional disparities within each province, and subgroups within each covariate.Additionally, Logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the impact of SI and its associated factors on CCVD. Results:The final analysis included 218 329 elderly individuals, revealing that the incidence and number of SI in Shandong Province are the highest in China at 18.95%(3 360 out of 17 735).The incidence of SI in the Eastern coastal provinces is notably higher than in the Western region.Factors contributing to a higher prevalence of SI include living in rural areas, being female, older age, belonging to ethnic minorities, having low educational attainment, facing economic disadvantages, smoking, drinking alcohol, lack of exercise, loneliness, poor sleep quality, and dissatisfaction with housing conditions.The study found that SI increased the risk of developing cardiovascular disease even after adjusting for negative emotional experiences or poor lifestyle choices( OR=1.190, 95% CI: 1.016-1.296, P=0.016, OR=1.208, 95% CI: 1.131-1.291, P<0.001), and the risk further increased when both factors were simultaneously adjusted for( OR=1.237, 95% CI: 1.160-1.319, P<0.001). Conclusions:Combining SI with poor lifestyle and negative emotions significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the importance of addressing these factors in the elderly population.
