title: Relationships Between Living Arrangements and Health Status Among Older Adults in the United States, 2009-2014: Findings From the National Health Interview Survey.
abstract: Limited research has examined how health varies across living arrangements among older adults. Adults aged 65 years and older were sampled from National Health Interview Survey 2009-2014. Four indicators of health (serious psychological distress, health status, functional limitations, and number of health conditions) were compared across older adults living alone, living with others related/unrelated, living with a spouse/partner (no children), and living with children (no spouse/partner). Regression models showed older adults living with others have the poorest health; they were less likely to report excellent or very good health, had serious psychological distress and limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), and a greater number of health conditions compared with older adults living with a spouse/partner. However, older women living alone or with children were more likely to report two or more health conditions compared with women living with a spouse/partner, suggesting that in older age, there are gender variations in health across living arrangements.
authors.affiliation: 1 New York University School of Medicine, New York City, USA.
authors.forename: Judith D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.affiliation: 2 Visiting Nurse Services of New York, New York City, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003710:Demography; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018454:Spouses; D014481:United States
keywords: National Health Interview Study; health status; living arrangements; older adults; serious psychological distress