Comprehensive Comparison between Empty Nest and Non-Empty Nest Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study among Rural Populations in Northeast China.
This study aimed to comprehensively compare the general characteristics, lifestyles, serum parameters, ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG) parameters, depression, quality of life, and various comorbidities between empty nest and non-empty nest elderly among rural populations in northeast China. This analysis was based on our previous study which was conducted from January 2012 to August 2013, using a multistage, stratified, random cluster sampling scheme. The final analyzed sample consisted of 3208 participants aged no less than 60 years, which was further classified into three groups: non-empty nest group, empty nest group (living as a couple), and empty nest group (living alone). More than half of the participants were empty nest elderly (60.5%). There were no significant statistical differences for serum parameters, UCG parameters, lifestyles, dietary pattern, and scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) among the three groups. Empty nest elderly showed no more risk for comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, left atrial enlargement (LAE), and stroke. Our study indicated that empty nest elderly showed no more risk for depression, low quality of life and comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, LAE, and stroke among rural populations in northeast China.
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. chang.ye@stu.xjtu.edu.cn.
Ye
Y
Chang
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. guoxiaofan1986@foxmail.com.
Xiaofan
X
Guo
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. 13654970960@126.com.
Liang
L
Guo
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. xi.aohan1989@163.com.
Zhao
Z
Li
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. eileen8222@163.com.
Hongmei
H
Yang
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. yidasasa@foxmail.com.
Shasha
S
Yu
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. gzhsun66@163.com.
Guozhe
G
Sun
Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China. yxsun@mail.cmu.edu.cn.
Yingxian
Y
Sun
D000368:Aged; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
empty-nest elderly; northeast China; rural population