Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 6/2012

01-11-2012 | Regular Article

Current status of and factors associated with social isolation in the elderly living in a rapidly aging housing estate community

Authors: Kayoko Gouda, Reiko Okamoto

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 6/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine social isolation development among elderly persons living in a rapidly aging housing estate community in terms of the frequency of activities of daily living outside the home and social contact with neighbors and to identify associated factors.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in 2007 (102 subjects) and 2010 (104 subjects) involving elderly residents living on a suburban housing estate. The data collected on the 87 subjects who responded to both surveys were analyzed. The survey investigated physical, psychological, and social factors regarded as being associated with social isolation. The subjects were divided into four social types according to the frequency of activities of daily living outside the home and social contact with neighbors. Multiple logistic regression analysis involved would-be-isolated and non-isolated groups as dependent variables and each factor as an independent variable.

Results

Isolated group subjects increased from 2.3 to 7.0 % during the study period, with the would-be-isolated group accounting for 33.7 % of the study population in both years. Factors strongly associated with the would-be-isolated group were a low subjective sense of well-being and socioeconomic status were identified in 2007, and an older age, low subjective sense of socioeconomic status, and no provision of emotional support in 2010.

Conclusions

The health condition and social well-being of the elderly on a rapidly aging housing estate community tended to decline, revealing that the number of isolated and would-be-isolated subjects is increasing. Taking preventive action against social isolation among the elderly population is essential, suggesting the need to combine community health promotion and social communication interventions and to develop programs aimed at providing opportunities for elderly persons to be emotional support providers.
Literature
1.
Honma Y. Verification of post-war housing development. Tokyo: Shinzansha Publisher; 2004. p. 4–48.
2.
Nakaya M, Yamada K, Sawai M, Yamada H. The actual conditions of suburban detached area developed in the high growth period: a study on the conditions and residential consciousness of suburban housing in Kanazawa City part 1 (in Japanese). J Arch Build Sci. 2004;47:328–31.
3.
Hayami S. Local transformation of the suburbs city community-aging and meaning of “the suburbs” (in Japanese). Ann Jpn Assoc Urban Sociol. 2001;9:55–69.
4.
Kuroda M. Aging society and community development. In: Matsuda Y, Nishimura M, editors. Introduction to regional sciences. Sekaishisosha: Kyoto; 1999. p. 116–8.
5.
Imai N, Ito R. The problem of the trend of parent and child’s resident status, and living environment of a “Remote Suburban Residential Section” in Haibara-cho, Nara (in Japanese). J Home Econ Jpn. 2006;57:761–74.
6.
Gouda K, Takashima N, Tsuji Y, Kunikata H, Nakazoe K. Response of “housing complex summit” held aiming at ripple effect of make with community in the housing complex (in Japanese). J Shikoku Public Health Soc. 2010;55:133–7.
7.
Fukushima S, Sakai K. A study on the current status of solitary living among the elderly in a large-scale apartment complex in a metropolitan area and livelihood support(in Japanese). J Health Welf Stat. 2010;57:1–8.
8.
Health Planning Division of the Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. A council to promote the creation of a community where elderly people can live safely and independently (to prevent “dying alone”). Tokyo: 2008. p. 1–19.
9.
Gouda K, Kunikata H, Takashima N, Tsuji Y, Nakazoe K. Correlations between the tooth condition of elderly people living in housing-development residences and their positive self-esteem, depression, and state regarding going out (in Japanese). Nihon Kango Kenkyu Gakkai Zasshi. 2010;33:51–7.
10.
Omori J. Correlation between interactions of younger elderly women with close non-family friends and neighbors and health-related QOL (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2007;54:605–13.
11.
Saito M. The meaning and problems of the study concerning social isolation of the elderly as social welfare research (in Japanese). J Soc Welf Nihon Fukushi Univ. 2009;121:29–41.
12.
Townsend P. Isolation, loneliness, and the hold on life. In: Townsend P, editor. The family life of old people: an inquiry in East London. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books; 1963. p. 188–205.
13.
Saito M, Fujiwara Y, Kobayashi E, Fukaya T, Nishi M, Shinkai S. Prevalence and characteristics of social isolation in the elderly in a dormitory suburb according to household composition (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2010;57:785–95.
14.
Saito M, Shimizu Y, Yamaguchi M, Takei S. Prevalence and characteristics of the socially isolated elderly in a large urban area (in Japanese). Jpn Soc Study Soc Welf. 2009;50:110–22.
15.
Kobayashi E, Fujiwara Y, Fukaya T, Nishi M, Saito M, Shinkai S. Social support availability and psychological well-being among the socially isolated elderly. Differences by living arrangement and gender (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2011;58:446–56.
16.
Hawthorone G. Perceived social isolation in a community sample: its prevalence and correlates with aspects of people’ lives. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2008;43:140–50.CrossRef
17.
Ayakami Town. Ayakami Town Community Welfare Project “Ayakami Health Promotion 21, Shifuku-no-Fukushi (Wonderful and accessible welfare service)”. Kagawa: Ayakami-cho; 2008. p. 42–3.
18.
Koyano W, Shibata H, Nakazato K, Haga H, Suyama Y. Evaluation of physical functioning among community-dwelling elderly: development of a TMIG—Index of Competence (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 1987;34:109–14.
19.
Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Lum O, Huang VS, et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1983;17:37–9.
20.
Noguchi Y. Social support among the elderly: concept and measurement (in Japanese). Soc Gerontol. 1991;34:37–48.
21.
Kiyomi A. Community-based participatory research for community health in Japan—theory and practice. Tokyo: Ishiyaku Publishers, INC; 2010. p. 2–36.
22.
Hirai H, Kondo K, Ichida Y, Suemori K. The elderly in Japan—a large-scale social epidemiological survey for care prevention (6): “houseboundness” among the elderly (in Japanese). J Public Health Pract. 2005;69:485–9.
23.
Kaneko I. Social networks of old people in urban communities. Jpn Sociol Rev. 1987;38:336–50.CrossRef
24.
Yamazaki S, Hashimoto M, Imuta H, Shigeta M, Haga H, Yasumura S. Frequency of homebound elderly people living in an urban community and factors related to a homebound state (in Japanese). Jpn J Gerontol. 2008;30:58–68.
25.
Shinkai S, Fujita K, Fujiwara Y, Kumagai S, Amano H, Yoshida H. Predictors for the onset of different types of homeboundness among community-living older adults: two-year prospective study (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2005;52:874–85.
26.
Ishihara T, Mizuno K, Furuzawa H, Gokan Y. A study of support systems for elderly people who live in mountainous are housebound and who have limited opportunity for out-of-house travel (in Japanese). J Jpn Acad Commun Health Nurs. 2004;7:62–7.
27.
Victor C, Scambaler S, Bond J, Bowling A. Being alone in latter life: loneliness, social isolation and living alone. Rev Clin Gerontol. 2000;10:407–17.CrossRef
28.
Kishi R, Horikawa N. Role of the social support network which influences age of death and physical function of elderly people: study of trends in and outside of Japan and future problems (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2004;51:79–93.
29.
Murata C, Saito Y, Kondo K, Hirai H. Social support and depression among community living older people AGES Project (in Japanese). Jpn J Gerontol. 2011;33:15–22.
30.
Kobayashi E, Sugihara Y, Fukaya T, Akiyama H, Liang J. Effects of marital status and geographic distance from children upon network structure and functions of friends and neighbors among the Japanese elderly (in Japanese). Jpn J Gerontol. 2005;26:438–50.
31.
Sugisawa H, Sugisawa A. Development of research on self-rated health in the United States (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 1995;42:366–78.
32.
Kondo K, Hirai H, Ichida Y, Matsuda R, Saito Y, Endo H, et al. The elderly in Japan—a large-scale social epidemiological survey for care prevention (12): distinctive findings in socioeconomic status and mental health and tasks for future studies (in Japanese). J Public Health Pract. 2005;69:485–9.
33.
Saito Y, Kondo K, Yoshii K, Hirai H, Suemori K, Murata C. The elderly in Japan—a large-scale social epidemiological survey for care prevention (8) Well-being and social support among the elderly—acceptance and provision of support (in Japanese). J Public Health Pract. 2005;69:661–5.
34.
Iwasa H. Evaluation scale for social support network among the elderly (in Japanese). Jpn J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2011;22:660–71.
35.
Shaw BA, Krause N, Liang J, Bennett J. Tracking changes in social relations throughout late life. J Gerontol Soc Sci. 2007;62B:S90–9.CrossRef
36.
Yoshii K, Kondo K, Kuze J, Higuchi K. Social relationship factors and risk of care requirement in Japanese elderly (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2005;52:456–67.
37.
Kim H, Sugisawa H, Okabayashi H, Fukaya T, Shibata T. A longitudinal study on social support and life satisfaction among Japanese elderly (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 1999;46:532–41.
38.
Kuroiwa R. Consideration of social policy for the isolated people in community: recent trend in Setagaya (in Japanese). Soc Welf. 2003;44:121–32.
39.
Hoshi T, Kurimori S, Ino Y, Takahashi T, Hasegawa T, Tomoyama G, et al. Relationships between enjoyment and motivation in life regarding outdoor activities and subjective sense of well-being among elderly persons living in urban areas (in Japanese). J Health Welf Stat. 2009;56:16–21.
40.
Fujiwara Y, Nishi M, Watanabe N, Lee S, Inoue K, Yoshida H, et al. An intergenerational health promotion program involving older adults in urban areas. “Research of Productivity by Intergenerational Sympathy (REPRINTS)”: first-year experience and short-term effects (in Japanese). Jpn J Public Health. 2006;53:702–14.
41.
Kobayashi E. Social relationships in old age. In: Gondo Y, editor. Psychology of aging. Tokyo: Asakura Publishing; 2008. p. 160–1.
Metadata
Title
Current status of and factors associated with social isolation in the elderly living in a rapidly aging housing estate community
Authors
Kayoko Gouda
Reiko Okamoto
Publication date
01-11-2012
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 6/2012
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-012-0282-x

Other articles of this Issue 6/2012

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 6/2012 Go to the issue

Regular Article

Changes in mental health and quality of life with dental implants as evaluated by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Health Utilities Index (HUI)

Regular Article

Simultaneous changes in high-fat and high-cholesterol diet-induced steatohepatitis and severe fibrosis and those underlying molecular mechanisms in novel SHRSP5/Dmcr rat

Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment to reviewers who served in 2012

Short communication

Lack of an association human dioxin detoxification gene polymorphisms with endometriosis in Japanese women: results of a pilot study

Regular Article

Self-rated health as a comprehensive indicator of lifestyle-related health status

Regular Article

Ameliorative effect of tamarind leaf on fluoride-induced metabolic alterations