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The Role of Social Isolation and the Development of Depression. A Comparison of the Widowed and Married Oldest Old in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Franziska Förster

    (Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Melanie Luppa

    (Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Alexander Pabst

    (Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Kathrin Heser

    (Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany)

  • Luca Kleineidam

    (Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, 53127 Bonn, Germany)

  • Angela Fuchs

    (Medical Faculty, Institute of General Practice, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Michael Pentzek

    (Medical Faculty, Institute of General Practice, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Hanna Kaduszkiewicz

    (Medical Faculty, Institute of General Practice, Kiel University, 24105 Kiel, Germany)

  • Carolin van der Leeden

    (Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Primary Medical Care, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • André Hajek

    (Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Hans-Helmut König

    (Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Anke Oey

    (Work Group Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Institute for General Practice, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Birgitt Wiese

    (Work Group Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Institute for General Practice, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Edelgard Mösch

    (Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany)

  • Dagmar Weeg

    (Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany)

  • Siegfried Weyerer

    (Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty, Mannheim/Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany)

  • Jochen Werle

    (Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty, Mannheim/Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany)

  • Wolfgang Maier

    (Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, 53127 Bonn, Germany)

  • Martin Scherer

    (Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Primary Medical Care, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Michael Wagner

    (Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, 53127 Bonn, Germany
    Shared last authorship.)

  • Steffi G. Riedel-Heller

    (Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
    Shared last authorship.)

Abstract

Widowhood is common in old age, can be accompanied by serious health consequences and is often linked to substantial changes in social network. Little is known about the impact of social isolation on the development of depressive symptoms over time taking widowhood into account. We provide results from the follow-up 5 to follow-up 9 from the longitudinal study AgeCoDe and its follow-up study AgeQualiDe. Depression was measured with GDS-15 and social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6). The group was aligned of married and widowed people in old age and education through entropy balancing. Linear mixed models were used to examine the frequency of occurrence of depressive symptoms for widowed and married elderly people depending on the risk of social isolation. Our study shows that widowhood alone does not lead to an increased occurrence of depressive symptoms. However, “widowed oldest old”, who are also at risk of social isolation, have significantly more depressive symptoms than those without risk. In the group of “married oldest old”, women have significantly more depressive symptoms than men, but isolated and non-isolated do not differ. Especially for people who have lost a spouse, the social network changes significantly and increases the risk for social isolation. This represents a risk factor for the occurrence of depressive symptoms.

Suggested Citation

  • Franziska Förster & Melanie Luppa & Alexander Pabst & Kathrin Heser & Luca Kleineidam & Angela Fuchs & Michael Pentzek & Hanna Kaduszkiewicz & Carolin van der Leeden & André Hajek & Hans-Helmut König , 2021. "The Role of Social Isolation and the Development of Depression. A Comparison of the Widowed and Married Oldest Old in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:6986-:d:585233
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barbara Schaan, 2013. "Widowhood and Depression Among Older Europeans—The Role of Gender, Caregiving, Marital Quality, and Regional Context," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(3), pages 431-442.
    2. Gary R. Lee & Alfred DeMaris & Stefoni Bavin & Rachel Sullivan, 2001. "Gender Differences in the Depressive Effect of Widowhood in Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 56(1), pages 56-61.
    3. Isaac Sasson & Debra J. Umberson, 2014. "Editor's choice Widowhood and Depression: New Light on Gender Differences, Selection, and Psychological Adjustment," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 69(1), pages 135-145.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Jianliang Nie & Bohan Chen & Yini Liao & Yufeng Wu & Dan Li, 2023. "The Characteristics and the Influencing Factors of Rural Elders’ Social Networks: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, February.

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