Assessing the relative contribution of social exclusion, income-poverty, and financial strain on depressive symptoms among older people in Hong Kong

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1487-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu-yau Lee ◽  
Kee-lee Chou
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Income Poverty ◽  
Relative Contribution

scholarly journals Ageing, income and living standards: evidence from the British Household Panel Survey

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1105-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
RICHARD BERTHOUD ◽  
MORTEN BLEKESAUNE ◽  
RUTH HANCOCK
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Cohort Effects ◽  
Income Poverty ◽  
British Household Panel Survey ◽  
Panel Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
General Experience

ABSTRACTIn Britain, older people have lower average incomes and a higher risk of income poverty than the general population. Older pensioners are more likely to be in poverty than younger ones. Yet certain indicators of their living standards suggest that older people experience less hardship than expected, given their incomes. A possible explanation is that older people convert income into basic living standards at a higher rate than younger people, implying that as people age they need less income to achieve a given standard of living. Much existing evidence has been based on cross-sectional data and therefore may not be a good guide to the consequences of ageing. We use longitudinal data on people aged at least 50 years from the British Household Panel Survey to investigate the effects of ageing on the relationship between standard of living, as measured by various deprivation indices, and income. We find that for most indices, ageing increases deprivation when controlling for income and other factors. The exception is a subjective index of ‘financial strain’, which appears to fall as people age. We also find evidence of cohort effects. At any given age and income, more-recently-born older people in general experience more deprivation than those born longer ago. To some extent these ageing and cohort effects balance out, which suggests that pensions do not need to change with age.

A time-use perspective of out-of-home activity participation by older people in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Sylvia Y. He ◽  
Sandip Chakrabarti ◽  
Yannie H.Y. Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Older People ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Activity Participation

scholarly journals Do opposite ends of same factors underlie life satisfaction vs. depressive symptoms among older people?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Pynnönen ◽  
Katja Kokko ◽  
Milla Saajanaho ◽  
Timo Törmäkangas ◽  
Erja Portegijs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Older People ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Physical Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
Financial Situation ◽  
Self Acceptance

Abstract Background Although depressive symptoms are more common among older than younger age groups, life satisfaction tends to remain stable over the life course, possibly because the underlying factors or processes differ. Aim To study whether the factors that increase the likelihood of high life satisfaction also decrease the likelihood of depressive symptoms among older people. Methods The data were a population-based probability sample drawn from community-dwelling people aged 75, 80, and 85 years (n = 1021). Participants’ life satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Physical performance, perceived financial situation, executive functions, loneliness, self-acceptance, and having interests in one’s life were studied as explanatory variables. The data were analyzed using cross-sectional bivariate linear modeling. Results Better physical performance, not perceiving loneliness, having special interests in one’s life, and higher self-acceptance were associated with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms. Better financial situation was related only to life satisfaction. Executive functions were not associated with either of the outcomes. Discussion The opposite ends of the same factors underlie positive and negative dimensions of mental well-being. Conclusion Further studies are warranted to better understand how people maintain life satisfaction with aging when many resources may diminish and depressive symptoms become more prevalent.

scholarly journals Can welfare-rights advice targeted at older people reduce social exclusion?

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUZANNE MOFFATT ◽  
GRAHAM SCAMBLER
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Median Income ◽  
Welfare Rights ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTIt is known that, in general, people of pensionable age have gained in income compared to other age groups in the British population over the last two decades, but that a substantial minority still experience relative poverty. This paper reports a small qualitative study into the effectiveness of a welfare-rights advice and acquisition service for men and women aged 60 or more years that was provided through a local primary health-care service. Additional financial and non-financial resources were obtained by accessing previously unclaimed state-welfare benefits. It was found that these significantly improved the participants' quality of life. Fourteen of the 25 participants received some type of financial award as a result of the service offered, with the median income gain being £57 (€84 or US $101) per week. The impact of additional resources was considerable and included: increased affordability of necessities and occasional expenses; increased capacity to cope with emergencies; and reduced stress related to financial worries. Knowledge of and access to welfare-rights services also appeared to have a positive effect. It is argued that a level of material resources above a basic level is necessary for social relations and for accessing services and civic activities, and can reduce social exclusion among older people.

Resilience, pessimism, and depression in undergraduates in Hong Kong during Covid-19: A cross-sectional online survey study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Yi Sum ◽  
Sherry Kit Wa Chan ◽  
Gloria Hoi Yan Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Family Conflict ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Adolescence and young adulthood is a period of heightened risk of mental disorders onset. The Covid-19 pandemic may have impacted the daily lives and learning of students, exposing them to risks of emotional distress. Understanding factors associated with individual differences in distress can inform remedial strategies for schools. OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of Covid-19 on undergraduate students’ lifestyle and learning, and explore relationship between depressive symptoms, resilience, and optimism/pessimism bias in undergraduate students in Hong Kong. METHODS Cross-sectional online survey of undergraduate students in a university (n=1020) before and during the third wave of Covid-19 outbreak in Hong Kong between May and August 2020. Changes in habits and family conflicts, depressive symptoms (measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9), resilience (measured using Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), optimism/pessimism towards Covid-19 risks, and knowledge about Covid-19 were recorded. Multivariable linear regression and mediation analyses were used to explore relationships with depressive symptoms. RESULTS 61.7% of respondents have mild to severe depressive symptoms. The regression model found that 18.5% of the variance in depressive symptoms was explained by resilience, pessimism bias, changes in sleep, decrease in study at home, and increase in family conflict. Mediation analysis showed that resilience is indirectly related to depressive symptoms through its relationship with pessimism (ab = -0.042, CI = -0.057 to -0.013). Higher resilience was associated with lower depressive symptoms even after accounting for resilience’s indirect effect through pessimism (c’ = 0.311, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the mental health vulnerability of undergraduate students. Measures to reduce family conflict, maintain healthy daily habits, adjust optimism/pessimism bias, and enhance resilience may be useful for improving the mental wellbeing of undergraduate students during the pandemic.

Improvement for some: poverty and social exclusion among older people and pensioners

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Demi Patsios
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
General Position ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Policy Action

This chapter focuses on several key areas of poverty and social exclusion experienced by older people and pensioners using B-SEM. Analyses by pensioner household type (n=2,296) show differences in older adults’: access to material, economic and social resources; participation in common social activities and civic and political participation; and quality of life. Younger pensioners (particularly couples) are least likely to report lower resources and exclusion from participation, and more likely to report higher quality of life. In contrast, older and single (particularly female) pensioners are most likely to report lower levels of economic and social resources and lower scores on participation and quality of life sub-domains. Although the general position of pensioners has improved over the past decade, the findings conclude that this has not been the case for all pensioners. The policy situation explaining some of these disparities and the implications for further policy action are discussed.

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