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Association between Personal Social Capital and Loneliness among Widowed Older People

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  • Dongdong Jiang

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

  • Yitan Hou

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

  • Jinwei Hao

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

  • Jiayi Zhou

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

  • Junfeng Jiang

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

  • Quan Wang

    (School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
    Global Health Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

To explore the association between the personal social capital and loneliness among the widowed older adults in China. Data from 1497 widowed older adults were extracted from China’s Health-Related Quality of Life Survey for Older Adults 2018. The Chinese version of the Personal Social Capital Scale (PSCS-16) was used to evaluate the participants’ status of bonding and bridging social capital (BOC and BRC). Loneliness was assessed by the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8). Multiple linear regression models were established to examine the relationship between social capital and loneliness. The BOC and BRC of rural widowed older people were significantly lower than those of widowed older people in urban areas, while loneliness of rural widowed older people was higher than that of widowed older people in urban areas. The result of the final model showed that loneliness of rural participants was significantly associated with both BOC (B = 0.141, p = 0.001) and BRC (B = −0.116, p = 0.003). The loneliness of the urban widowed sample had no association with both BOC and BRC ( p > 0.05). These findings suggested that more social support and compassionate care should be provided to enrich the personal social capital and thus to reduce loneliness of widowed older adults, especially those in rural areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Dongdong Jiang & Yitan Hou & Jinwei Hao & Jiayi Zhou & Junfeng Jiang & Quan Wang, 2020. "Association between Personal Social Capital and Loneliness among Widowed Older People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-11, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5799-:d:397329
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yu-Han Hsiao & Meng-Chih Lee & Chih-Jung Yeh & Chi-Jung Tai & Shiuan-Shinn Lee, 2021. "Social Participation and Survival in Widowed Persons: Results of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Hui-Chuan Hsu, 2020. "Typologies of Loneliness, Isolation and Living Alone Are Associated with Psychological Well-Being among Older Adults in Taipei: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Hui You & Yao Wang & Lily Dongxia Xiao & Li Liu, 2022. "Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Negative Psychological Symptoms among Elderly Widows Living Alone in a Chinese Remote Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Guangwen Liu & Shixue Li & Fanlei Kong, 2022. "Association between Sense of Belonging and Loneliness among the Migrant Elderly Following Children in Jinan, Shandong Province, China: The Moderating Effect of Migration Pattern," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, April.
    5. Junfeng Jiang & Jiang Song, 2022. "Health Consequences of Online Social Capital among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 2277-2297, August.
    6. Boncay, Mari Angelu M. & Damian, Janiena Faith R. & Gregorio, Kim Courtney G. & Maraggun, Faith Henrick L. & Suarez, Andrea Reasele T., 2024. "Integrity vs Despair: A Phenomenological Study on Filipino Widowed Elderly Lived Experiences," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3), pages 765-793, March.

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