Social relationships, loneliness, and mental health among older men and women in Ireland: A prospective community-based study
Data is lacking on the association of interpersonal stressors and social isolation with mental disorders and the mediating role of loneliness. Thus, we examined this association prospectively using community-based data.
Methods
Data on 6105 adults aged ≥50 years from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was analyzed. Mental health outcomes were assessed 2 years after baseline. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were evaluated with validated scales. Multivariable linear regression and mediation analyses were conducted.
Results
Higher levels of spousal support, less strain from spouse and better social network integration were protective against depressive symptoms in men. Social support from friends and children was protective against depressive symptoms in both genders. Higher levels of social strain from children were positively associated with depressive symptoms in women. Loneliness was a significant mediator in the majority of these associations.
Santini ZI1, Fiori KL2, Feeney J3, Tyrovolas S4, Haro JM4, Koyanagi A4.
- 1Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: z.santini@pssjd.org.
- 2Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA.
- 3Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
- 4Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
J Affect Disord. 2016 Jun 14;204:59-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.06.032.