Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Lei, P
• Xu, L
• Nwaru, B.I
• Long, Q
• Wu, Z

Titel

Social networks and health-related quality of life among Chinese old adults in urban areas: results from 4th National Household Health Survey

Ist Teil von

• Public health (London), 2016-02, Vol.131, p.27-39

Ort / Verlag

Netherlands: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2016

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Abstract Objective To examine the associations between components of social networks and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling old adults in urban areas in China. Study design Data from the 4th National Household Health Survey (NHHS) in China, conducted in 2008, were used. HRQoL of respondents aged ≥15 years was assessed using EQ-5D in the NHHS. Methods The sample for the current analysis included 9833 old adults aged ≥60 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between indicators of social network and HRQoL. Results Approximately 6% of the respondents saw their children once a year or less, and approximately 1% reported that they had no children. Thirteen percent of the sample seldom contacted their neighbours and seldom met with relatives or friends; approximately 62% seldom attended social gatherings. The five dimensions of HRQoL (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression) were reported to be moderate or severe in 14.5%, 9.4%, 12.6%, 18.3% and 9.3% of the sample, respectively. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D index using the time trade-off method was 70.96 [standard deviation (SD) 14.79] and 0.869 (SD 0.163), respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, old adults with weaker social networks were more likely to report problems on EQ-5D dimensions, lower VAS scores and lower EQ-5D indexes. Conclusions For old adults living in urban communities in China, increased social participation has a positive effect on various dimensions of HRQoL. There is a need for policy considerations that will improve integration of community-level public resources in order to encourage frequent social interaction among old adults, and promote health and social care as a whole.