title: Predictors of social leisure activities in older Europeans with and without multimorbidity.
abstract: Older people spend much time participating in leisure activities, such as taking part in organized activities and going out, but the extent of participation may differ according to both individual and environmental resources available. Chronic health problems become more prevalent at higher ages and likely necessitate tapping different resources to maintain social participation. This paper compares predictors of participation in social leisure activities between older people with and those without multimorbidity. The European Project on Osteoarthritis (EPOSA) was conducted in Germany, UK, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden (N= 2942, mean age 74.2 (5.2)). Multivariate regression was used to predict social leisure participation and degree of participation in people with and without multimorbidity. Fewer older people with multimorbidity participated in social leisure activities (90.6 %), compared to those without multimorbidity (93.9 %). The frequency of participation was also lower compared to people without multimorbidity. Higher socioeconomic status, widowhood, a larger network of friends, volunteering, transportation possibilities and having fewer depressive symptoms were important for (the degree of) social leisure participation. Statistically significant differences between the multimorbidity groups were observed for volunteering and driving a car, which were more important predictors of participation in those with multimorbidity. In contrast, self-reported income appeared more important for those without multimorbidity, compared to those who had multimorbidity. Policies focusing on social (network of friends), physical (physical performance) and psychological factors (depressive symptoms) and on transportation possibilities are recommended to enable all older people to participate in social leisure activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henrike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galenkamp
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing (INRCA), Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing (INRCA), Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.affiliation: Collegium Medicum Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland ; Institute of Labour and Social Studies, Warsaw, Poland ; Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE), Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanislawa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Golinowska
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Science, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Amilcar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Winkelmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Labour and Social Studies, Warsaw, Poland ; Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE), Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sowa
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Pas
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dorly J H
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Deeg
keywords: Aged; Chronic disease; Leisure activities; Social participation