scholarly journals Loneliness and Social Networks in Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-407
Author(s):  
Željka Tonković ◽  
Dražen Cepić ◽  
Ivan Puzek
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
East European ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Fresh Perspective ◽  
Social Causes

The paper analyses social causes of loneliness in Europe using cross-national data from the 2017 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) module “Social Networks and Social Resources” from 13 countries categorised as Northern Europe, Continental Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe. The paper aims to examine loneliness with regard to three specific groups of predictors, related to network, sociocultural and sociostructural aspects. The results suggest that sociability patterns and personal networks are the most important predictors of loneliness. While the frequency of contacts with family members and close friends and the overall number of contacts showed significance, loneliness was primarily related to the quality of personal relationships. Considering sociocultural factors, the obtained findings showed that social trust is consistently associated with lower levels of loneliness. Furthermore, people from Continental Europe were, in general, less lonely than North and East Europeans. Age was an important factor here as respondents from younger age groups were lonelier in Nordic countries than in the other two blocs of countries, while older respondents were lonelier in Central and East European countries. Finally, sociostructural indicators in general showed less predictive value compared to sociability patterns and sociocultural variables. However, when it came to socioeconomic exclusion, this aspect showed a stronger connection with loneliness for the individuals from the Nordic group of countries. The findings of this paper contribute to the vibrant field of contemporary scholarship on loneliness with a fresh perspective based on comparing three large blocs of European countries and an integrated approach to various predictors of loneliness.

Ethnicity and Elderly Suicide in Singapore

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soo Meng Ko ◽  
Ee Heok Kua
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Elderly Suicide

In the cosmopolitan city of Singapore the annual suicide rates in the general population from 1985 to 1991 remained fairly constant, with a mean of 15.3 per 100,000. It was highest among Indians (19.5 per 100,000), followed by Chinese (16.2 per 100,000) and Malays (2.3 per 100,000). The suicide rates were higher in elderly people (aged 65 years and over) than in younger age groups (10 to 64 years) and in males than in females. For the elderly, the mean annual suicide rate for this period was 52.0 per 100,000. However, it was highest among Chinese, with 59.3 per 100,000, followed by Indians at 33.9 per 100,000, and, again, lowest among Malays, with 3.0 per 100,000. Possible sociocultural factors are proposed to account for differences in suicide rates among these ethnic groups.

scholarly journals Pooling European all-cause mortality: methodology and findings for the seasons 2008/2009 to 2010/2011

2012 ◽  
Vol 141 (9) ◽  
pp. 1996-2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. NIELSEN ◽  
A. MAZICK ◽  
N. ANDREWS ◽  
M. DETSIS ◽  
T. M. FENECH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
National Level ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Pooled Analysis ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Influenza A H1n1 ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Fertile Women

SUMMARYSeveral European countries have timely all-cause mortality monitoring. However, small changes in mortality may not give rise to signals at the national level. Pooling data across countries may overcome this, particularly if changes in mortality occur simultaneously. Additionally, pooling may increase the power of monitoring populations with small numbers of expected deaths, e.g. younger age groups or fertile women. Finally, pooled analyses may reveal patterns of diseases across Europe. We describe a pooled analysis of all-cause mortality across 16 European countries. Two approaches were explored. In the ‘summarized’ approach, data across countries were summarized and analysed as one overall country. In the ‘stratified’ approach, heterogeneities between countries were taken into account. Pooling using the ‘stratified’ approach was the most appropriate as it reflects variations in mortality. Excess mortality was observed in all winter seasons albeit slightly higher in 2008/09 than 2009/10 and 2010/11. In the 2008/09 season, excess mortality was mainly in elderly adults. In 2009/10, when pandemic influenza A(H1N1) dominated, excess mortality was mainly in children. The 2010/11 season reflected a similar pattern, although increased mortality in children came later. These patterns were less clear in analyses based on data from individual countries. We have demonstrated that with stratified pooling we can combine local mortality monitoring systems and enhance monitoring of mortality across Europe.

scholarly journals Excess Deaths associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ukraine in 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil K. Mehta ◽  
Ihor Honchar ◽  
Olena Doroshenko ◽  
Igor Brovchenko ◽  
Khrystyna Pak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
European Countries ◽  
List Type ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Influenza Activity ◽  
Expected Mortality ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Excess Deaths

AbstractCOVID-19 related mortality has been understudied in Ukraine. As part of a World Bank project, we estimated excess mortality in Ukraine during 2020. Data on all deaths registered in government-controlled Ukraine from 2016-2020 (N=2,946,505) were utilized. We predicted deaths in 2020 by five-year age groups, sex, and month and calculated the number of deaths that deviated from expected levels (excess deaths). We compared excess deaths with the number of recorded COVID-19 deaths on death certificates and with published estimates for 30 European countries. We estimated 38,095 excess deaths in 2020 (6% of all deaths). Death rates were above expected levels in February and from June-December and lower in January and March-May. From June-December, we estimated 52,124 excess deaths with a peak in November (16,891 deaths). COVID-19 recorded deaths were approximately one-third of excess deaths in June-December (18,959 vs. 52,124). Higher than expected mortality was detected for all age groups 40-44 years and above and for those ages 0-4, 15-19, and 20-24. Ukraine’s excess mortality was about average compared to 30 other European countries. Excess deaths may be attributed directly to SARS-COV2 infection or indirectly to death causes associated with social and economic upheavals resulting in from the pandemic. Lower than expected mortality during the early part of 2020 is consistent with low influenza activity and reductions in deaths from restricted movement. Further studies are required to examine the causes of death that have contributed to positive excess mortality, particularly among younger aged groups.Key MessagesUkraine has experienced sizeable changes in its recent demography and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s aggregate mortality patterns is understudiedBased on recent death trends, we found that Ukraine experienced lower than expected mortality during the early part of 2020 and consistently higher than expected mortality from June-December with peak levels occurring in NovemberPositive excess mortality was observed for all age groups beginning at ages 40-44 as well as some younger age groups.

scholarly journals National age and co-residence patterns shape covid-19 vulnerability

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Esteve ◽  
Inaki Permanyer ◽  
Diederik Boertien ◽  
James W. Vaupel
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Household Transmission ◽  
Private Households ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Southern European Countries

Based on harmonized census data from 81 countries, we estimate how age and co-residence patterns shape the vulnerability of countries' populations to outbreaks of covid-19. We estimate variation in deaths arising due to a simulated random infection of 10% of the population living in private households and subsequent within-household transmission of the virus. The age-structures of European and North American countries increase their vulnerability to covid-related deaths in general. The co-residence patterns of elderly persons in Africa and parts of Asia increase these countries' vulnerability to deaths induced by within-household transmission of covid-19. Southern European countries, which have aged populations and relatively high levels of intergenerational co-residence are, all else equal, the most vulnerable to outbreaks of covid-19. In a second step, we estimate to what extent avoiding primary infections for specific age-groups would prevent subsequent deaths due to within-household transmission of the virus. Preventing primary infections among the elderly is the most effective in countries with small households and little intergenerational co-residence such as France, whereas confining younger age groups can have a greater impact in countries with large and inter-generational households such as Bangladesh.

Inequalities and Impact of Socioeconomic-Cultural Factors in Suicide Rates Across Italy

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Pompili ◽  
Marco Innamorati ◽  
Monica Vichi ◽  
Maria Masocco ◽  
Nicola Vanacore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Age And Sex

Background: Suicide is a major cause of premature death in Italy and occurs at different rates in the various regions. Aims: The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive overview of suicide in the Italian population aged 15 years and older for the years 1980–2006. Methods: Mortality data were extracted from the Italian Mortality Database. Results: Mortality rates for suicide in Italy reached a peak in 1985 and declined thereafter. The different patterns observed by age and sex indicated that the decrease in the suicide rate in Italy was initially the result of declining rates in those aged 45+ while, from 1997 on, the decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in suicide rates among the younger age groups. It was found that socioeconomic factors underlined major differences in the suicide rate across regions. Conclusions: The present study confirmed that suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that may be determined by an array of factors. Suicide prevention should, therefore, be targeted to identifiable high-risk sociocultural groups in each country.

MONITORING RESULTS OF SAZAN (CYPRINUS CARPIO CARPIO LINNAEUS, 1758) POPULATION IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE TAGANROG BAY AND THE DON RIVER DELTA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.A. Balykin ◽  
◽  
A.V. Startsev ◽  
G.E. Guskov ◽  
A.S. Grin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
River Delta ◽  
Weight Growth ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Cyprinus Carpio Carpio ◽  
Don River ◽  
Taganrog Bay ◽  
Biological State

The materials for 2003-2018 on the biological state of sazan of the eastern part of the Taganrog Bay and the Don River delta were summarized. It has been shown that the catches of sazan in the study area consisted of more than half of the fish of younger age groups, the length of which was less than the commercial measure. The ratio of linear and weight growth of sazan is shifting towards a decrease in the mass of one-dimensional specimen, which is indirect evidence of the deterioration of the natural living conditions of semi-migratory fish. In 2019, the carp parasite fauna was represented by 7 species related to monogenes - 2 species, cestodes - 3 species, nematodes - 1 species, crustaceans - 1. The state of the sazan population needs further research.

scholarly journals Five reasons COVID-19 is less severe in younger age groups

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W Turke
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
System Function ◽  
The Third ◽  
Immune System Function ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Younger Age

Abstract The severity of COVID-19 is age-related, with the advantage going to younger age groups. Five reasons are presented. The first two are well-known, are being actively researched by the broader medical community, and therefore are discussed only briefly here. The third, fourth, and fifth reasons derive from evolutionary life history theory, and potentially fill gaps in current understanding of why and how young and old age groups respond differently to infection with SARS-CoV-2. Age of onset of generalized somatic aging, and the timing of its progression, are identified as important causes of these disparities, as are specific antagonistic pleiotropic tradeoffs in immune system function.

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