Loneliness and substance use: the influence of gender among HIV+ Black/African American adults 50+

Estimates suggest 30% of adults report the highest levels of loneliness. Though men are more likely than women to use illicit substances and engage in heavy drinking, the prevalence of substance use in women is growing and their escalation toward dependence occurs more rapidly. Loneliness and substance use have greater relevance within the HIV+ population, with higher rates of substance misuse than the general population. However, the association between loneliness and substance use within HIV+ individuals remains understudied. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that there would be an association between loneliness and substance moderated by gender in HIV+ older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2013 and January 2014. Study participants included 96 HIV-positive Black/African American men and women recruited through the University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service (UF CARES) in Jacksonville, Florida. Participants completed an interviewer-administered assessment examining mental and behavioral health. Pearson correlations examined associations between loneliness and substance use. Binary logistic regression analyses stratified by gender examined the association between loneliness and substance use while controlling for covariates. Among women, loneliness was associated with illicit drug use, AOR?=?3.37, 95% CI: 1.23–9.21, p?=?.018 and heavy drinking, AOR?=?2.47, 95% CI: 1.07–5.71, p?=?.033. No significant associations were found between loneliness and illicit drug use, and heavy drinking in men. Substance use among women in this population may be linked to loneliness. Interventions should be gender specific. Further research into this association is necessary as it will likely have important clinical implications for this population.     

高考生焦虑感与孤独感的相关研究

目的探讨和比较高三应届生与复读生的孤独感与焦虑的现状及相关性。方法对128名高考生(高三应届生60名、复读生68名)进行问卷调查。选择具有较好信、效度的孤独量表(UCLA)与焦虑自评量表(SAS)分别作为评定高考生孤独感和焦虑的工具。结果1高三应届生和复读生的孤独感和焦虑情况均显著高于各自常模;2在焦虑方面,应届生的得分显著高于复读生(t=3.30,P0.01);3孤独感与焦虑水平有显著相关(r=0.46,P0.01);进一步回归分析表明,焦虑对孤独感有显著的正向预测作用,贡献率为24.1%。结论高考生的孤独感、焦虑情况不容乐观;应届生的焦虑水平显著高于复读生;孤独感与焦虑有显著性正相关;焦虑感对孤独感有显著的正向预测作用。     

Reducing loneliness in older adults: looking at locals and migrants in a Swiss case study

Older adults are at a high risk for loneliness, and community-based interventions can help reduce loneliness for all older adults in a community, regardless of their migration status. However, little research has investigated how older adults, including locals and migrants (in this case, internal newcomers and international expats) participate in these interventions. The “Neighbourhoods in Solidarity” (NS) are a series of community-based interventions that aim to increase social connectedness and reduce loneliness in older adults (55+) in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. This longitudinal embedded mixed-methods study aimed to understand whether older adults (distinguishing between locals, newcomers, and expats) were aware of and participated in the NS, to assess whether participation was associated with changes in loneliness, and to identify relevant processes that could explain a reduction in loneliness. We combined a longitudinal pre/post survey (235 respondents) with ethnographic observations and informal interviews. Quantitative findings showed that individuals who participated in the NS did not have significant changes in loneliness. Qualitative findings showed that perceived migration played an important role in who participated, and that the community distinguished between two types of migrants: newcomers who spoke French fluently, and expats who did not. Individuals were only ‘local’ if they had ancestors from the town. Some newcomers and some locals used the NS as a platform to build a new sense of community within the NS, whereas expats rarely participated. This was due to linguistic and cultural determinants, institutional constraints, interpersonal relationships, and personal preferences.     

Stronger feelings of loneliness among Moroccan and Turkish older adults in the Netherlands: in search for an explanation

The prevalence of loneliness among Turkish–Dutch and Moroccan–Dutch older adults is higher than among Dutch older adults of non-migrant origin. Three explanations may account for this difference: (1) differential item functioning might result in scores that vary in intensity and in meaning across categories; (2) the position of migrants is much more vulnerable than that of non-migrants; (3) the lack of protective factors has more severe consequences for older migrants. The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam interviewed 176 persons born in Morocco and 235 born in Turkey, aged 55–66 and living in urban areas. They are compared with a matched sample of 292 Dutch persons. The psychometric properties of the loneliness scale are satisfying, although there is some differential item functioning. Older migrants have more frequent social contacts but are at a disadvantage in other domains. Taking into account differences in social participation, satisfaction with income, mastery and depressive symptoms, the difference between older migrants’ and non-migrants’ loneliness is reduced by more than half. Protective factors are equally important for older migrants and non-migrants. Exceptions are marriage (less protective for Moroccans), frequent contact with children/children-in-law (mostly for Turks), a higher educational level (protects Moroccans and Turks) and better physical functioning (less for Turks). Being an older migrant and belonging to a minority might further contribute to feelings of loneliness. Interventions can be directed at stimulating social contact, but also at aspects like enhancing the appreciation of their social status and avoiding negative interpretations of a situation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10433-020-00562-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

What protects older Romanians in Switzerland from loneliness? A life-course perspective

The topic of loneliness among older migrants has recently gained scholarly interest. There is a particular focus on why older migrants are generally lonelier than their non-migrant peers from the destination. These studies neglect variations both within and between older migrant groups. Our qualitative study is innovative for three reasons. First, it focuses on Romanian migrants aged 65+ who fled communism and aged in place in Switzerland—an understudied population of former political refugees that experiences little or no loneliness in later years. Second, it takes a life-course approach to explore experiences of loneliness during communist Romania, in the context of migration and later in life. Third, it focuses on protective and coping factors rather than risk factors. Having been through hard times in communist Romania—marked by fear and distrust among people and estrangement from society—older Romanian migrants built strength to withstand difficult times, learned to embrace solitude, and/or to relativise current hardships, if any. Upon arrival many founded or joined an association or church, which offers the opportunity to establish a sustainable social network consisting of a large pool of Romanian non-kin with a shared past and experience of migration and integration, to counteract social losses in later life. When moments of loneliness cannot be prevented (e.g. due to death of a spouse), they try to be active to distract from loneliness or ‘simply’ accept the situation. These aspects need to be taken into account in future research and when developing loneliness interventions.     

焦虑和感知社会支持在孤独感与老年人形象关系中的链式中介作用研究

目的　探讨焦虑、感知社会支持在孤独感和老年人形象之间的链式中介效应。方法　2017年5—6月,采用随机抽样法选取广西南宁市老年大学320例学员,采用老年人形象问卷、感知社会支持问卷、焦虑问卷和孤独感问卷进行调查,采用AMOS 20.0软件构建结构方程模型分析中介效应。结果　共发放问卷320份,回收有效问卷293份,有效回收率为91.56%。老年人形象问卷得分为（57.6±7.7）分,感知社会支持问卷得分为（22.8±4.0）分,焦虑问卷得分为（10.9±4.5）分,孤独感问卷得分为1（0,2）分。家庭经济状况一般者老年人形象问卷得分高于较差者（P<0.05）。感知社会支持与老年人形象、焦虑呈正相关（P<0.05）;孤独感与老年人形象、感知社会支持呈负相关（P<0.05）;焦虑与孤独感呈正相关（P<0.05）。路径分析表明,孤独感对老年人焦虑具有正向影响（β=0.16,P=0.01）,对老年人感知社会支持具有负向影响（β=-0.40,P<0.001）;焦虑对老年人感知社会支持具有正向影响（β=0.18,P=0.006）;感知社会支持对老年人形象具有正向影响（β=0.30,P=0.003）。采用Bootstrap检验法检验中介效应,结果显示,“孤独感→感知社会支持→老年人形象”路径中,感知社会支持的估计值为-0.353 5〔95%CI（-0.685 6,-0.126 8）〕,表明感知社会支持在孤独感与老年人形象的部分中介效应成立;“孤独感→焦虑→感知社会支持→老年人形象”路径中,“焦虑→感知社会支持”的估计值为0.028 4〔95%CI（0.004 9,0.088 9）〕,表明感知社会支持与焦虑在孤独感与老年人形象的链式中介效应成立。结论　焦虑与感知社会支持在孤独感和老年人形象之间发挥着链式中介作用。孤独感不仅通过感知社会支持的中介作用对老年人形象产生间接效应,还通过焦虑预测感知社会支持并最终预测老年人形象。     

Fulfilled preferences,perceived control,life satisfaction,and loneliness in elderly long-term care residents

Objectives: Person-centered care constructs such as fulfilled preferences, sense of control, and life satisfaction might contribute to loneliness among nursing home residents, but these relationships have not been thoroughly explored. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between fulfilled preferences and loneliness in nursing home residents with perceived control and life satisfaction as potential mediators.

Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional design, examining the targeted variables with a questionnaire administered by trained research staff. A convenience sample of 65 residents (median age = 71) of eight nursing homes were interviewed. Linear regression analysis was utilized to examine the mediation hypotheses.

Results: The relationships between fulfilled preferences and loneliness (β = ?.377, p = .002), fulfilled preferences and perceived control (β = ?.577, p < .001), and perceived control and loneliness (β = .606, p < .001) were significant, and the relationship between fulfilled preferences and loneliness (β = ?.040, p = .744) became non-significant when perceived control was included in the model. The relationships between fulfilled preferences and life satisfaction (β = .420, p < .001) and life satisfaction and loneliness (β = ?.598, p < .001) were significant, and the relationship between fulfilled preferences and loneliness (β = ?.152, p = .174) became non-significant when life satisfaction was included in the model.

Conclusion: The findings suggest an important association between person-centered care, particularly fulfilling personal care and recreation preferences, and social-affective needs of long-term care residents. Fulfilling preferences may be an appropriate intervention target for loneliness.     

女性中专护生负性情绪、孤独感与社会支持的相关研究

目的探讨女性中专护生负性情绪、孤独感与社会支持三者之间的关系,为制定有针对性的心理干预措施以及开展女性中专护生的心理健康教育工作提供参考。方法于2018年6月-10月采用随机抽样方法抽取西南医科大学护理学院1 300名在校中专护生为研究对象,采用抑郁-焦虑-压力量表中文精简版(DASS-21)、UCLA孤独感量表(UCLA-LS)和社会支持评定量表(SSRS)对其负性情绪、孤独感及社会支持等进行调查,并探索三者之间的关系。结果女性中专护生DASS-21总评分为(22.39±8.26)分,其中抑郁、焦虑、压力分量表评分分别为(7.56±3.32)分、(8.82±3.49)分、(7.00±3.58)分;UCLA-LS评分为(46.25±8.12)分,SSRS总评分为(33.16±5.82)分。女性中专护生DASS-21评分与UCLA-LS评分呈正相关(r=0.431,P0.01),SSRS总评分与DASS-21评分及UCLA-LS评分均呈负相关(r=-0.193、-0.345,P均0.01)。结论女性中专护生的负性情绪、社会支持与孤独感之间存在相关性。     

Life satisfaction in a sample of empty-nest elderly: a survey in the rural area of a mountainous county in China

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the life satisfaction and its predictors between the empty-nest and not-empty-nest elderly. METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, physical health, and the Life Satisfaction Index (LSI), UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was administered to 275 empty-nest and 315 not-empty-nest rural elderly in a Chinese county. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the predictors of LSI score. RESULTS: The empty-nest elderly had lower life satisfaction, lower income, poorer relationships with children, less social support, higher prevalence of chronic diseases, and more feelings of depression and loneliness compared to the not-empty-nest elderly. "Empty-nest status" was negatively related with life satisfaction. Depression was the strongest predictor of life satisfaction in both groups. The second strongest predictor was loneliness among the empty-nest group, while it was chronic diseases among the not-empty-nest group. Marital status and income were correlated with life satisfaction only among the empty-nest elderly. CONCLUSIONS: The empty-nest elderly were likely to have mental health problems and to feel unsatisfied with their life. These findings also emphasize the importance of mental health as the determinant of life satisfaction among the empty-nest elderly.     

大学生完美主义与孤独的相关研究

目的 探讨大学生完美主义与孤独的关系.方法 采用FMPS完美主义量表与孤独量表(UCLA)对620名大学生进行了调查.结果 不同孤独水平大学生在担心错误维度和完美主义总分上都存在看显著差异(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)和显著的相关;完美主义的担心错误对孤独有非常显著的预测作用(R2=0.064,P＜0.001).结论 大学生的完美主义与孤独密切相关.