Can the higher risk of disability onset among older people who live alone be alleviated by strong social relations? A longitudinal study of non-disabled men and women.
OBJECTIVE
to investigate if the increased risk of disability onset among older people who live alone could possibly be moderated by either high social participation or by being satisfied with the social relations.


METHODS
logistic regression models were tested using two waves in a study population of 2,697 non-disabled older men and women from The Danish Longitudinal Study on Preventive Home Visits.


RESULTS
living alone and low social participation were significant risk factors for later male disability onset. Not being satisfied with the social relations was significantly associated with onset of disability for both genders. Among men who lived alone low social participation was a significant predictor of disability onset [odds ratio, OR = 2.30 (1.00-5.29)]; for cohabiting men social participation was not associated with disability onset, [adjusted OR = 0.91 (0.49-1.71)]. Similar results were present concerning satisfaction with the social relations among men. There was no significant interaction for women.


CONCLUSIONS
the study suggests that men who live alone can possibly alleviate their risk of disability onset by being socially active and by having access to satisfactory social relations. Women do not seem to benefit as much from cohabitation as men, although women who live alone and who are not satisfied with their social relations also constitute a significant risk category.
Lund
Rikke
R
Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. r.lund@sund.ku.dk
Nilsson
Charlotte Juul
CJ
Avlund
Kirsten
K
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support