Effects of own and spousal disability on loneliness among older adults
- PMID: 18332186
- DOI: 10.1177/0898264308315431
Effects of own and spousal disability on loneliness among older adults
Abstract
Objectives: This study examines the effects of own and spousal disability on social and emotional loneliness among married adults aged 65 and older.
Method: Data from 710 men and 379 women of a Dutch community sample were analyzed with linear regression analyses.
Results: For men, only their wives' disability was related to higher levels of social loneliness, whereas for women mainly their own disability was related to higher levels of social loneliness. Own disability and spousal disability were related to higher levels of emotional loneliness among both men and women. Effects of disability remained unaffected after controlling for characteristics of the social network and the marital relationship.
Discussion: Findings underscore the importance of considering effects of both spouses' health on measures of individual well-being. Also, the traditional division of social roles makes older married men relatively vulnerable to social loneliness when their wives suffer from disability.
Similar articles
-
[Differential indicators of loneliness among elderly. The importance of type of partner relationship, partner history, health, socioeconomic status and social relations].Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 1999 Oct;30(5):212-25. Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 1999. PMID: 10568246 Dutch.
-
Quality of marriages in later life and emotional and social loneliness.J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2009 Jun;64(4):497-506. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbn043. Epub 2009 Feb 12. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2009. PMID: 19213848
-
Loneliness as a predictor of quality of life among older caregivers.J Adv Nurs. 2005 Jan;49(1):23-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03260.x. J Adv Nurs. 2005. PMID: 15610378
-
Loneliness in older women: a review of the literature.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2006 Aug-Sep;27(7):795-813. doi: 10.1080/01612840600781196. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2006. PMID: 16849264 Review.
-
Gender and psychological distress among middle- and older-aged colorectal cancer patients and their spouses: an unexpected outcome.Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2009 Apr;70(1):71-82. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2008.07.014. Epub 2008 Aug 30. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2009. PMID: 18762432 Review.
Cited by
-
Functional Status, Cognition, and Social Relationships in Dyadic Perspective.J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2019 Apr 12;74(4):703-714. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx024. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2019. PMID: 28369622 Free PMC article.
-
Changes in Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions: Role of Positive and Negative Social Support.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Dec 26;14(1):16. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14010016. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016. PMID: 28035968 Free PMC article.
-
Functional limitations and depressive symptoms: a longitudinal analysis of older Mexican American couples.J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2014 Sep;69(5):743-62. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbu039. Epub 2014 May 13. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2014. PMID: 24823692 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Assessing the relative importance of correlates of loneliness in later life. Gaining insight using recursive partitioning.Aging Ment Health. 2018 Nov;22(11):1486-1493. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1370690. Epub 2017 Sep 8. Aging Ment Health. 2018. PMID: 28885038 Free PMC article.
-
Marital Quality, Loneliness, and Depressive Symptoms Later in Life: The Moderating Role of Own and Spousal Functional Limitations.Res Hum Dev. 2020;17(4):211-234. doi: 10.1080/15427609.2020.1837598. Epub 2020 Nov 2. Res Hum Dev. 2020. PMID: 34239391 Free PMC article.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical