Research Article
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Factors Related to Loneliness Among the Elderly Living at Home in Turkey

Year 2017, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 71 - 78, 20.06.2017
https://doi.org/10.21763/tjfmpc.317717

Abstract

Aim/background:
Loneliness occurs in all stages of life, and a major problem for most of the
elderly. To determine the prevalence of loneliness and evaluate the effects of
socio-demographic, health characteristics, life satisfaction, activities of
daily living and instrumental activities of daily living among elderly people. Methods:
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 160 participants in
three regions of İzmir. Measures were included a demographic questionnaire, the
UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Life Satisfaction Scale, the Katz Index of
Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton and Brody’s Instrumental Activities
of Daily Living Index. Data were analysed via the independent t-test,
Kruskal-Wallis test, ANOVA test, Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear
regression with stepwise analysis. Results: The loneliness rate was
46.9% among participants. A great difference existed between loneliness level
and marital status, education level, place of residence, self-reported health,
self-reported sleep quality, exercise and instrumental activities of daily
living. Life satisfaction, activities of daily living and instrumental
activities of daily living were negatively associated with loneliness.  Conclusion: Elderly care services
should be designed with a multidisciplinary approach, and nurses should
especially assess loneliness in elderly with low levels of self-care capacity
and reduced social contacts to develop appropriate nursing interventions.


Amaç/Giriş:
Yalnızlık yaşamın her döneminde gelişir ve birçok yaşlı için büyük bir
sorundur. Bu çalışmanın amacı yaşlı bireylerde yalnızlık sıklığını belirlemek
ve sosyo-demografik özellikler, sağlık durumu, yaşam doyumu ve günlük
aktivitelerinin yalnızlığa etkisini değerlendirmektir. Yöntem:
Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipteki bu çalışma İzmir ilinde iki kırsal ve bir
kentsel bölgede 160 katılımcı ile yürütülmüştür.  Veriler sosyo-demografik veri formu, UCLA
Yalnızlık Ölçeği, Yaşam Doyum Ölçeği ve Katz Günlük Yaşam Aktiviteleri Ölçeği
ve Lawton ve Brody’nin Enstürimental Günlük Yaşam Aktiviteleri Ölçeği ile
toplanmıştır. Veriler t testi, Kruskal-Wallis analizi, Anova testi, pearson
korelasyon ve çoklu regresyon analizi ile değerlendirilmiştir.  Bulgular: Katılımcılarda yalnızlık
görülme oranı %46.9 idi. Katılımcıların evlilik durumu, eğitim durumu, yaşadığı
bölge, sağlık durumu, uyku kalitesi, egzersiz yapma durumu ve enstrümental
günlük yaşam aktiviteleri durumuna göre yalnızlık puanları arasında fark
bulunmuştur. Yaşam doyumu, günlük yaşam aktiviteleri ve enstrümental günlük
yaşam aktiviteleri ile yalnızlık arasında ters yönde ilişki saptanmıştır.  Sonuç: Yaşlı bakım hizmetleri
multidisipliner bir yaklaşım ile sunulmalıdır. Hemşireler uygun hemşirelik
girişimleri geliştirmek için özellikle öz bakım kapasiteleri düşük, sosyal
etkileşimi azalmış yaşlı bireylerin yalnızlığını değerlendirmelidir.

References

  • 1. The Republic of Turkey, General Directorate of Social Sectors and Coordination. Situation of Elderly People in Turkey and National Action Plan on Ageing 2007. Available from URL: http://www.eyh.gov.tr/upload/Node/8638/files/Yaslanma_Ulusal_Eylem_Plani.pdf. Accessed 25 September 2014.
  • 2. Turkish Statistical Institute. Population Statistics 2016. Available from URL: http://www.tuik.gov.tr/UstMenu.do?metod=temelist. Accessed 23 February 2017.
  • 3. Turkish Statistical Institute, Izmir District Management, Statistics of Izmir Population with e-mail contact in 01 March 2017.
  • 4. Taube E, Kristensson J, Midlöv P, Holst G, Jakobsson U. Loneliness among older people: results from the Swedish National Study on aging and care – blekinge. The Open Geriatric Medicine Journal 2013; 6:1-10.
  • 5. Bekhet AK, Zauszniewski JA, Nakhla WE. Loneliness: a concept analysis. Nursing Forum 2008;43(4):207-213.
  • 6. Roos V, Malan L. The role of context and the interpersonal experience of loneliness among older people in a residential care facility. Global Health Action 2012; 5:18861.
  • 7. Aylaz R, Aktürk Ü, Erci B, Öztürk H, Aslan H. Relationship between depression and loneliness in elderly and examination of influential factors. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2012; 55:548–554.
  • 8. Koc Z. Determination of older people’s level of loneliness. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2012; 21:3037–3046.
  • 9. Savikko N, Routasalo P, Tilvis RS, Strandberg TE, Pitkala KH. Predictors and subjective causes of loneliness in an aged population. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2005; 41:223–233.
  • 10. Demir A. Validity and reliability of UCLA loneliness scale. Turkish Journal of Psychology 1989; 23:14–18.
  • 11. Yetim Ü. Kişisel projelerin organizasyonu ve örüntüsü açısından yaşam doyumu. Yayınlanmamış Doktora Tezi 1991:68-140, Ege Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İzmir, Türkiye.
  • 12. Katz S, Ford AB, Moskowitz RW, Jakson BA, Jaffe MW. Studies of illness in the aged. The Index of ADL: a standardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. JAMA 1963; 185:914-919.
  • 13. Tel H, Güler N, Tel H. Yaşlıların evde günlük yaşam aktivitelerini sürdürme durumu ve yaşam kaliteleri. Hemşirelikte Araştırma Geliştirme Dergisi 2011; 2:59-67.
  • 14. Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist 1969; 9:179-186.
  • 15. Khorshid L, Eşer İ, Zaybak A, Yapucu Ü, Arslan GG, Çınar Ş. The evaluation of loneliness level of elderly individuals residing in rest homes. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2004;7(1):45-50.
  • 16. Tel H, Tel H, Sabancıoğlu S. Status of maintenance of activities of daily living and experience of loneliness in elder than 60 years old living at home and in institutions. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2006;9(1):34-40.
  • 17. Holwerda TJ, Deeg DJ, Beekman AT, van Tilburg TG, Stek ML, Jonker C, et al. Feelings of loneliness, but not social isolation, predict dementia onset: results from the Amsterdam Study of the Elderly (AMSTEL). Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 2014;85(2):135-142.
  • 18. Boss L, Kang DH, Branson S. Loneliness and cognitive in the older adult: a systematic review. International Psychogeriatrics 2015;24(4):541-553.
  • 19. Hacihasanoğlu R, Yildirim A, Karakurt P. Loneliness in elderly individuals, level of dependence in activities of Daily living (ADL) and influential factors. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2012; 54:61–66.
  • 20. Ünal G, Bilge A. The evaluation of the loneliness, depression and cognitive function in older age group. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2005; 8:89–93.
  • 21. Wang G, Zhang X, Wang K, Li Y, Shen Q, Ge X, Hang W. Loneliness among the rural older people in Anhui, China: prevalence and associated factors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2011; 26:1162–1168.
  • 22. Stevens N. Gender and adaptation to widowhood in later life. The International Journal of Aging and Society 1995; 15:37–58.
  • 23. Kurina LM, Knutson KL, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT, Lauderdale DS, Ober C. Loneliness is associated with sleep fragmentation in a communal society. Sleep 2011;34(11):1519-1526.
  • 24. McHugh JE, Lawlor BA. Perceived stress mediates the relationship between emotional loneliness and sleep quality over time in older adults. British Journal of Health Psychology 2013; 18:546–555.
  • 25. Roh S, Lee YS, Lee KH, Shibusawa T, Yoo GJ. Friends, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction among older Korean Americans. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health 2014;17(4):1091-7. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0021-z.
  • 26. Jivraj S, Nazroo J. Determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in subjective well-being in later life: a cross-country comparison in England and the USA. Quality of Life Research 2014;23 (9): 2545-58. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-014-0694-8.
Year 2017, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 71 - 78, 20.06.2017
https://doi.org/10.21763/tjfmpc.317717

Abstract

References

  • 1. The Republic of Turkey, General Directorate of Social Sectors and Coordination. Situation of Elderly People in Turkey and National Action Plan on Ageing 2007. Available from URL: http://www.eyh.gov.tr/upload/Node/8638/files/Yaslanma_Ulusal_Eylem_Plani.pdf. Accessed 25 September 2014.
  • 2. Turkish Statistical Institute. Population Statistics 2016. Available from URL: http://www.tuik.gov.tr/UstMenu.do?metod=temelist. Accessed 23 February 2017.
  • 3. Turkish Statistical Institute, Izmir District Management, Statistics of Izmir Population with e-mail contact in 01 March 2017.
  • 4. Taube E, Kristensson J, Midlöv P, Holst G, Jakobsson U. Loneliness among older people: results from the Swedish National Study on aging and care – blekinge. The Open Geriatric Medicine Journal 2013; 6:1-10.
  • 5. Bekhet AK, Zauszniewski JA, Nakhla WE. Loneliness: a concept analysis. Nursing Forum 2008;43(4):207-213.
  • 6. Roos V, Malan L. The role of context and the interpersonal experience of loneliness among older people in a residential care facility. Global Health Action 2012; 5:18861.
  • 7. Aylaz R, Aktürk Ü, Erci B, Öztürk H, Aslan H. Relationship between depression and loneliness in elderly and examination of influential factors. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2012; 55:548–554.
  • 8. Koc Z. Determination of older people’s level of loneliness. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2012; 21:3037–3046.
  • 9. Savikko N, Routasalo P, Tilvis RS, Strandberg TE, Pitkala KH. Predictors and subjective causes of loneliness in an aged population. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2005; 41:223–233.
  • 10. Demir A. Validity and reliability of UCLA loneliness scale. Turkish Journal of Psychology 1989; 23:14–18.
  • 11. Yetim Ü. Kişisel projelerin organizasyonu ve örüntüsü açısından yaşam doyumu. Yayınlanmamış Doktora Tezi 1991:68-140, Ege Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İzmir, Türkiye.
  • 12. Katz S, Ford AB, Moskowitz RW, Jakson BA, Jaffe MW. Studies of illness in the aged. The Index of ADL: a standardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. JAMA 1963; 185:914-919.
  • 13. Tel H, Güler N, Tel H. Yaşlıların evde günlük yaşam aktivitelerini sürdürme durumu ve yaşam kaliteleri. Hemşirelikte Araştırma Geliştirme Dergisi 2011; 2:59-67.
  • 14. Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist 1969; 9:179-186.
  • 15. Khorshid L, Eşer İ, Zaybak A, Yapucu Ü, Arslan GG, Çınar Ş. The evaluation of loneliness level of elderly individuals residing in rest homes. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2004;7(1):45-50.
  • 16. Tel H, Tel H, Sabancıoğlu S. Status of maintenance of activities of daily living and experience of loneliness in elder than 60 years old living at home and in institutions. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2006;9(1):34-40.
  • 17. Holwerda TJ, Deeg DJ, Beekman AT, van Tilburg TG, Stek ML, Jonker C, et al. Feelings of loneliness, but not social isolation, predict dementia onset: results from the Amsterdam Study of the Elderly (AMSTEL). Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 2014;85(2):135-142.
  • 18. Boss L, Kang DH, Branson S. Loneliness and cognitive in the older adult: a systematic review. International Psychogeriatrics 2015;24(4):541-553.
  • 19. Hacihasanoğlu R, Yildirim A, Karakurt P. Loneliness in elderly individuals, level of dependence in activities of Daily living (ADL) and influential factors. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2012; 54:61–66.
  • 20. Ünal G, Bilge A. The evaluation of the loneliness, depression and cognitive function in older age group. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2005; 8:89–93.
  • 21. Wang G, Zhang X, Wang K, Li Y, Shen Q, Ge X, Hang W. Loneliness among the rural older people in Anhui, China: prevalence and associated factors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2011; 26:1162–1168.
  • 22. Stevens N. Gender and adaptation to widowhood in later life. The International Journal of Aging and Society 1995; 15:37–58.
  • 23. Kurina LM, Knutson KL, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT, Lauderdale DS, Ober C. Loneliness is associated with sleep fragmentation in a communal society. Sleep 2011;34(11):1519-1526.
  • 24. McHugh JE, Lawlor BA. Perceived stress mediates the relationship between emotional loneliness and sleep quality over time in older adults. British Journal of Health Psychology 2013; 18:546–555.
  • 25. Roh S, Lee YS, Lee KH, Shibusawa T, Yoo GJ. Friends, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction among older Korean Americans. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health 2014;17(4):1091-7. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0021-z.
  • 26. Jivraj S, Nazroo J. Determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in subjective well-being in later life: a cross-country comparison in England and the USA. Quality of Life Research 2014;23 (9): 2545-58. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-014-0694-8.
There are 26 citations in total.

Details

Journal Section Orijinal Articles
Authors

Meryem Öztürk Haney This is me

Zuhal Bahar

Ayşe Beşer This is me

Dilay Açıl

Tuğba Yardımcı

Saadet Çömez

Publication Date June 20, 2017
Submission Date May 31, 2017
Published in Issue Year 2017 Volume: 11 Issue: 2

Cite

Vancouver Öztürk Haney M, Bahar Z, Beşer A, Açıl D, Yardımcı T, Çömez S. Factors Related to Loneliness Among the Elderly Living at Home in Turkey. TJFMPC. 2017;11(2):71-8.

English or Turkish manuscripts from authors with new knowledge to contribute to understanding and improving health and primary care are welcome.