scholarly journals A longitudinal analysis of loneliness, social isolation and falls amongst older people in England

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Jessica Abell ◽  
Paola Zaninotto ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Life Style ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Point Increase ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

AbstractLoneliness and social isolation have been identified as important predictors of various health outcomes, but little research has investigated their influence on falls. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between loneliness, social isolation and falls amongst older adults in England, looking at both self-reported falls and falls that require hospital admissions. This study drew on large scale, nationally representative data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing linked with Hospital Episode Statistics. Data were analysed using survival analysis, with self-reported falls (total sample = 4013) and falls require hospital admission being modelled separately (total sample = 9285). There was a 5% increase in the hazard of self-reported falls relative to one point increase in loneliness independent of socio-demographic factors (HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.08), but the association was explained away by individual differences in health and life-style measures (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00–1.07). Both living alone (HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07–1.32) and low social contact (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.07) were associated with a greater hazard of self-reported falls even after controlling for socio-demographic, health and life-style differences. Similar results were also found for hospital admissions following a fall. Our findings were robust to a variety of model specifications.

scholarly journals Stroke survivors experience elevated levels of loneliness: a multi-year analysis of the National Survey for Wales

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Byrne ◽  
Christopher W. N. Saville ◽  
Rudi Coetzer ◽  
Richard Ramsey
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Annual Survey ◽  
Societal Relevance ◽  
Human Stroke ◽  
Nationally Representative

AbstractDespite clinical observation that stroke survivors frequently experience loneliness, there is no large-scale empirical evidence to support this observation. To address this issue, we completed two pre-registered analyses of a nationally representative annual survey that included a self-report measure of loneliness (N>21000). Across two separate cohorts, the results consistently showed that human stroke survivors report higher levels of loneliness compared to healthy individuals, and this relationship could not be accounted for by demographic factors (e.g., age, sex) or objective measures of social isolation (e.g., marital status, number of household members). These findings demonstrate that elevated levels of loneliness post-stroke are robust in that they replicate in large nationally representative samples and cannot be reduced to objective measures of social isolation. The work has clinical and societal relevance by suggesting that loneliness post-stroke is unlikely to be adequately “treated” if only the quantity and not the quality of social experiences are considered.

scholarly journals INTERNET USE AND LONELINESS OF OLDER ADULTS OVER TIME: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTACT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Shinyi Wu ◽  
Iris Chi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Retirement Study ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Internet is increasingly popular among older adults and have changed interpersonal interactions. However, it remains controversial whether older people are more or less lonely with internet use. This paper tests the longitudinal association of internet use and loneliness among older people. One pathway that explains the association, the mediation effect of social contact, was examined. Data from the 2006, 2010 and 2014 waves of Health and Retirement Study was used. Hierarchical liner modeling results showed internet use was related to decreased loneliness over 12-year period of time (b=-0.044, p<.001). Internet use was associated with more social contact with family and friends overtime (b=0.261, p<.001), social contact was related to less perceived loneliness longitudinally (b=0.097, p<.001). The total effect of internet use on loneliness is -0.054 and the mediated effect is -0.025. The findings imply that online activities can be effective for reducing loneliness for older people through increased social contact.

scholarly journals Longitudinal relationship of diabetes and depressive symptoms in older adults from Mexico: a secondary data analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e001789
Author(s):  
Teresa Alvarez-Cisneros ◽  
Paloma Roa-Rojas ◽  
Carmen Garcia-Peña
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Health Factors ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Common Risk Factors ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Relationship Of

IntroductionSeveral studies have argued a causal relationship between diabetes and depression, while others have highlighted that their association is a result of common risk factors. Because Mexico is a country with a high prevalence of diabetes, and diabetes and depression are a frequent comorbidity, we chose this country to investigate the longitudinal relationship of these two conditions, focusing on the influence of demographic, health, and socioeconomic factors which could act as common risk factors for both conditions.Research design and methodsUsing the harmonized Mexican Health and Aging Study, a nationally representative sample of adults older than 50 with a response rate of 93%, we analyzed the longitudinal relationship of diabetes and depressive symptoms using ‘between-within’ random-effects models, focusing on the effect of demographic, socioeconomic and health factors.ResultsWhile older adults with diabetes reported a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in the four waves of the study, there was no causal longitudinal association between them once controlling for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors (between-effect OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.01; within-effect OR=0.87, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.11).ConclusionsThere is no causal longitudinal association between diabetes and depression; the higher prevalence of depression among older adults with diabetes seems a result of socioeconomic and health factors that are not exclusive to respondents with diabetes but are more frequent in this group. Our results highlight the importance of prevention and control of chronic conditions as well as the role of socioeconomic inequalities in mental health.

Do Migrants Receive Tuberculosis Education in China? Evidence From the China Migrants Dynamic Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 109019812110003
Author(s):  
Zheng Zhu ◽  
Mengdi Guo ◽  
Tingyue Dong ◽  
Beibei Gong ◽  
Xia Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Primary Methods ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Key Population ◽  
Bulletin Boards ◽  
Nationally Representative

Background Migrants are the key population for tuberculosis (TB) transmission in China. However, it remains unknown how many migrants have received TB education and through what means. Objectives To identify the rate and methods of TB education among migrants in China by using nationally representative data. Method This study used secondary data analysis. The data were derived from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2014–2017. A total sample of 745,926 migrants was included in the following analysis. Information on TB education was collected through a self-report questionnaire. We used hierarchical logistic regression models to explore the relationship between the independent variables and the receipt of TB education. Results Only 30.4% ( n = 226,458) received TB education. Among all age-groups, participants between 65 and 69 years old had the highest TB education rate (33.4%). Bulletin boards (86.5%–91%), media (73% to 86.7%), and books/magazines (59.2%–67.4%) were the most common ways for migrants to receive TB education. Conclusions Our study showed the rates of TB education in each region of China and indicated the significant disparity among the seven regions. Traditional media, off-line medical consultation, community advocacy, and bulletin boards should be the primary methods of delivering TB education. TB education campaigns targeting migrants with a low socioeconomic status should be actively promoted.

scholarly journals Characteristics of visits and predictors of admission from a paediatric emergency room in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad H. Al-Qahtani ◽  
Abdullah A. Yousef ◽  
Bassam H. Awary ◽  
Waleed H. Albuali ◽  
Mohammed A. Al Ghamdi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Improper Use ◽  
Level Shifts ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Emergency Repartment (ER) is one of the most used areas in healthcare institutions. Problems with over utilisation and overcrowding have been reported worldwide. This study aims at examining the characteristics of paediatric ER visits, the rate of hospital admissions and its associated predictors at King Fahd Hospital of the University in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methods This is a retrospective, medical record-based study. Variables included gender, age group, nationality, complaints, Triage level, shifts and seasons. Descriptive statistics were reported as frequencies/percentages. P-values were obtained through a Chi-Squared test while unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were estimated by binary logistic regression, where admission was considered as the outcome. Results The total number of paediatric patients included was 46,374, and only 2.5% were admitted. Males comprised 55.4% while females comprised 44.6%. The most common age group were toddlers, and 92.4% of the total sample were Saudis. The most common complaint was fever (26.9%) followed by respiratory symptoms (24.9%). Only 7 patients (0.02%) were classified as triage I (Resuscitation), and most were triage IV (Less urgent) (71.0%). Most visits occurred during the winter months. Adjusted ORs showed that neonates had higher odds of admission (OR = 3.85, 95%CI = 2.57–5.76). Moreover, those presenting with haematological conditions showed an OR of 65.49 (95%CI = 47.85–89.64), followed by endocrine conditions showing an OR of 34.89 (95%CI = 23.65–51.47). Triage I had a very high odds of admission (OR = 19.02, 95%CI = 2.70–133.76), whereas triage V was associated with a very low odds of admission (OR = 0.30, 95%CI = 0.23–0.38). Conclusions A low rate of hospital admission was found in comparison with other rates worldwide. This was mostly attributed to an alarmingly high number of non-urgent ER visits. This further emphasises the problem with improper use of ER services, as these cases should be more appropriately directed towards primary healthcare centres. Further studies to examine the impact of prioritising patients in the ER based on the identified predictors of hospital admission, in addition to the standard triage system, are suggested.

scholarly journals Rideshare use among parents and their children

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnathon P. Ehsani ◽  
Jeffrey P. Michael ◽  
Andrea Gielen
Keyword(s):  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
College Education ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Legal Guardian ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Risk Of Injury ◽  
Restraint Use ◽  
Child Restraint ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Child Restraint System

AbstractMotor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young children. Millions of ridesharing trips are taken each day, and use of these services is predicted to increase. Therefore, it is important to examine the safety of children in these vehicles. We conducted a survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years or older (N = 2017). Of the total sample, 450 respondents reported being a parent or legal guardian of children below the age of 10. Of these, 307 or 68% had ever used ridesharing. Among those who had used ridesharing, a total of 253 or 82% reported using ridesharing with their children below the age of 10 years. Among this group, rideshare use was significantly higher among individuals with college education, and in higher income households. Given that the majority of U.S. states have legislation exempting rideshare vehicles from child restraint system law coverage, our finding of high rates of rideshare use among parents suggests that a large number of children could be at risk of injury due to a lack of appropriate restraint use.

scholarly journals Correcting Citizens’ Misperceptions about non-Western Immigrants: Corrective Information, Interpretations, and Policy Opinions

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Juhl Jørgensen ◽  
Mathias Osmundsen
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Correct Information ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Large Scale Survey ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Information Change ◽  
Corrective Information

Abstract Can corrective information change citizens’ misperceptions about immigrants and subsequently lead to favorable immigration opinions? While prior studies from the USA document how corrections about the size of minority populations fail to change citizens’ immigration-related opinions, they do not examine how other facts that speak to immigrants’ cultural or economic dependency rates can influence immigration policy opinions. To extend earlier work, we conducted a large-scale survey experiment fielded to a nationally representative sample of Danes. We randomly expose participants to information about non-Western immigrants’ (1) welfare dependency rate, (2) crime rate, and (3) proportion of the total population. We find that participants update their factual beliefs in light of correct information, but reinterpret the information in a highly selective fashion, ultimately failing to change their policy preferences.

scholarly journals Collateral impact of COVID-19: why should children continue to suffer?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasad Nagakumar ◽  
Ceri-Louise Chadwick ◽  
Andrew Bush ◽  
Atul Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Collateral Effects ◽  
Rsv Infection ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-COV-2 virus fortunately resulted in few children suffering from severe disease. However, the collateral effects on the COVID-19 pandemic appear to have had significant detrimental effects on children affected and young people. There are also some positive impacts in the form of reduced prevalence of viral bronchiolitis. The new strain of SARS-COV-2 identified recently in the UK appears to have increased transmissibility to children. However, there are no large vaccine trials set up in children to evaluate safety and efficacy. In this short communication, we review the collateral effects of COVID-19 pandemic in children and young people. We highlight the need for urgent strategies to mitigate the risks to children due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What is Known:• Children and young people account for <2% of all COVID-19 hospital admissions• The collateral impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children and young people is devastating• Significant reduction in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the southern hemisphere What is New:• The public health measures to reduce COVID-19 infection may have also resulted in near elimination of influenza and RSV infections across the globe• A COVID-19 vaccine has been licensed for adults. However, large scale vaccine studies are yet to be initiated although there is emerging evidence of the new SARS-COV-2 strain spreading more rapidly though young people.• Children and young people continue to bear the collateral effects of COVID-19 pandemic

scholarly journals Why does the spread of COVID-19 vary greatly in different countries? Revealing the efficacy of face masks in epidemic prevention

2021 ◽  
Vol 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jincheng Wei ◽  
Shurui Guo ◽  
Enshen Long ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Bizhen Shu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Weighted Average ◽  
Filtration Efficiency ◽  
Volume Distribution ◽  
Particle Sizes ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Protection Measure ◽  
Source Of Infection

Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly contagious, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by it has forced many countries to adopt ‘lockdown’ measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic through social isolation of citizens. Some countries proposed universal mask wearing as a protection measure of public health to strengthen national prevention efforts and to limit the wider spread of the epidemic. In order to reveal the epidemic prevention efficacy of masks, this paper systematically evaluates the experimental studies of various masks and filter materials, summarises the general characteristics of the filtration efficiency of isolation masks with particle size, and reveals the actual efficacy of masks by combining the volume distribution characteristics of human exhaled droplets with different particle sizes and the SARS-CoV-2 virus load of nasopharynx and throat swabs from patients. The existing measured data show that the filtration efficiency of all kinds of masks for large particles and extra-large droplets is close to 100%. From the perspective of filtering the total number of pathogens discharged in the environment and protecting vulnerable individuals from breathing live viruses, the mask has a higher protective effect. If considering the weighted average filtration efficiency with different particle sizes, the filtration efficiencies of the N95 mask and the ordinary mask are 99.4% and 98.5%, respectively. The mask can avoid releasing active viruses to the environment from the source of infection, thus maximising the protection of vulnerable individuals by reducing the probability of inhaling a virus. Therefore, if the whole society strictly implements the policy of publicly wearing masks, the risk of large-scale spread of the epidemic can be greatly reduced. Compared with the overall cost of social isolation, limited personal freedoms and forced suspension of economic activities, the inconvenience for citizens caused by wearing masks is perfectly acceptable.

scholarly journals The Role of Risk Preferences in Responses to Messaging About COVID-19 Vaccine Take-Up

2021 ◽  
pp. 194855062199962
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Trueblood ◽  
Abigail B. Sussman ◽  
Daniel O’Leary
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Risk Preferences ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
Nationally Representative

Development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine is widely considered as one of the best paths to ending the current health crisis. While the ability to distribute a vaccine in the short-term remains uncertain, the availability of a vaccine alone will not be sufficient to stop disease spread. Instead, policy makers will need to overcome the additional hurdle of rapid widespread adoption. In a large-scale nationally representative survey ( N = 34,200), the current work identifies monetary risk preferences as a correlate of take-up of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccine. A complementary experiment ( N = 1,003) leverages this insight to create effective messaging encouraging vaccine take-up. Individual differences in risk preferences moderate responses to messaging that provides benchmarks for vaccine efficacy (by comparing it to the flu vaccine), while messaging that describes pro-social benefits of vaccination (specifically herd immunity) speeds vaccine take-up irrespective of risk preferences. Findings suggest that policy makers should consider risk preferences when targeting vaccine-related communications.

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