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Comparative Study
. 2019 May 23;16(10):1834.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16101834.

Self-Rated Health and Social Exclusion: Does Gardening Moderate This Relation? Evidence from the German Ageing Survey

André Hajek  1 , Hans-Helmut König  2
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Self-Rated Health and Social Exclusion: Does Gardening Moderate This Relation? Evidence from the German Ageing Survey

André Hajek et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the association between self-rated health and social exclusion can be moderated by the frequency of gardening in the total sample and stratified by sex. Cross-sectional data employed in this study came from the fifth wave of the German Ageing Survey (n = 5048), a nationally representative sample comprising non-institutionalized individuals aged 40 and above. A single-item measure was used to quantify self-rated health (ranging from 1 = very good to 5 = very bad). An established scale developed by Bude and Lantermann was used to assess social exclusion. Moreover, individuals reported the frequency of work in the garden (daily; several times a week; once a week; 1-3 times a month; less often; never). Poorer self-rated health was associated with feelings of social exclusion. The frequency of gardening significantly moderated the association between these factors in women. This cross-sectional study emphasizes the moderating role of gardening in the relation between self-rated health and social exclusion in women. Longitudinal studies are required to validate the present findings.

Keywords: gardening; self-rated health; social exclusion; social isolation; subjective health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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