The association between household and family composition and mental health of the elderly: mediating role of lifestyle.
Cognitive function
Depression
Household and family composition
Life state
Lifestyle
Loneliness
Older adults
Journal
BMC public health
ISSN: 1471-2458
Titre abrégé: BMC Public Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100968562
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
31 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024
Historique:
received:
09
04
2024
accepted:
17
07
2024
medline:
31
7
2024
pubmed:
31
7
2024
entrez:
30
7
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Mental health in the elderly has multiple determinants, and studies indicate household and family composition, economic status, and family support are key factors. However, these are difficult to modify, and better lifestyle for the elderly can be a possible intervention. The current study examined the mediating role of lifestyle in the association between these three types of the household and family composition (living alone, living with a spouse, and living with children) and mental health in older adults. We studied 5,407 participants (58.7% female, age 45 + years) from the Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Project. All participants underwent a battery of examinations to measure degree loneliness, depression, and global cognitive function. We also surveyed personal lifestyles. We used a mediation analysis to determine the relative contribution of each lifestyle factor on mental health outcomes. Older adults living alone rarely participated in mental and social activities and often had irregular diets; those adults living with children spent most of their time caring for grandchildren and had irregular eating and sleeping schedules; those living with a spouse often engaged in a variety of leisure activities and had the best life habits. Mediation analyses showed that dietary and sleeping irregularity partially mediated the negative effects of living alone on mental health, and were moderated by age and gender. Living with a spouse was associated with benefits for the mental health of middle-aged and older adults (especially older and female individuals), through modifying better lifestyles than those of individuals with the other two types of the household and family composition.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Mental health in the elderly has multiple determinants, and studies indicate household and family composition, economic status, and family support are key factors. However, these are difficult to modify, and better lifestyle for the elderly can be a possible intervention. The current study examined the mediating role of lifestyle in the association between these three types of the household and family composition (living alone, living with a spouse, and living with children) and mental health in older adults.
METHODS
METHODS
We studied 5,407 participants (58.7% female, age 45 + years) from the Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Project. All participants underwent a battery of examinations to measure degree loneliness, depression, and global cognitive function. We also surveyed personal lifestyles. We used a mediation analysis to determine the relative contribution of each lifestyle factor on mental health outcomes.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Older adults living alone rarely participated in mental and social activities and often had irregular diets; those adults living with children spent most of their time caring for grandchildren and had irregular eating and sleeping schedules; those living with a spouse often engaged in a variety of leisure activities and had the best life habits. Mediation analyses showed that dietary and sleeping irregularity partially mediated the negative effects of living alone on mental health, and were moderated by age and gender.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Living with a spouse was associated with benefits for the mental health of middle-aged and older adults (especially older and female individuals), through modifying better lifestyles than those of individuals with the other two types of the household and family composition.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39080574
doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19516-4
pii: 10.1186/s12889-024-19516-4
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2055Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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