Social Engagement of Older Adults Amazing Aging GERN 474 – Maria Claver & Casey Goeller Alma Madrid, Lisa Medrano, Kim Pham, Michelle Prado & Lorrie Russell. May 3 rd, 2010

Introduction Social engagement represents an active engagement with social world and implies that people are choosing to participate. Social aspects of aging: – Networks – Social Support – Participation Studies of physical health: – Disability – Morbidity – Mortality

Introduction cont … Social worlds contributes to physical health. Networks – Direct protection from mortality (men benefited from smaller networks than women) Support – Familial support predictor of mortality. – Reduced mortality risks. Participation/Social Engagement – Volunteering, Church Attendance & Socializing reduced mortality.

Introduction cont … Validated measures such as Brief Assessment of Social Engagement (BASE). Control: – Age (physical health may decline with age) – Sex (varies between men and women) – Physical Health (establish whether social participation is precursor for mortality).

Methods Nottingham Longitudinal Study (NLSAA). 8 year survey. Conducted between May & September Follow up interviews at 4 year intervals

Questionnaire 14 item health index from 0 (no health problems) – 14 (multiple health problems). Brief Assessment of Social Engagement measured levels of social participation. 13 item Life Satisfaction Index measure morale.

Participants 154 Participants who died 1985 – Still alive Matched age, sex, & health index score. By 1989 – 34 men & women had died.

Analysis Independent t-test. Independent number was survival (alive or deceased) in Social engagement & moral in 1984 & 1989 are dependent variables.

Results T1 – 1985 – Difference found for social engagement. – Lower levels of social engagement [t(307) = 1.29, p<0.199] – No other independent variables were insignificant. T2 – 1989 – Difference found for social engagement [t(230) = -3.12, p<0.002] – Morale [t(225) = 2.64, p<0.01] – Health [t(226) = 2.39, p<0.02] T3 – 1993 – Those who died by T3 had lower levels of social engagement, morale, poorer health than those who were still alive.

Discussion Direct effect. Social engagement may have a direct effect on mortality when health, age, & sex are controlled for. Marker for later health problems. Low levels signals unrecognized health problems.

Conclusion Low social engagement does not always determine mortality. Social engagement may have a direct effect on mortality if: – Age – Health – Sex Are controlled for.

Recommendations Consider what types of diseases/illness. – Some diseases will impede Older Adults from participating. Correlation between accessibility of social engagement.

Work Cited Bennett, K. M. (2002). Low level social engagement as a precursor of mortality among people in later life. Age and Ageing, 31,