TY - JOUR
T1 - Association between social isolation and depression onset among older adults
T2 - A cross-national longitudinal study in England and Japan
AU - Noguchi, Taiji
AU - Saito, Masashige
AU - Aida, Jun
AU - Cable, Noriko
AU - Tsuji, Taishi
AU - Koyama, Shihoko
AU - Ikeda, Takaaki
AU - Osaka, Ken
AU - Kondo, Katsunori
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding This work was supported by a grant from the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (18KK0057, 19K24277) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing was developed by a team of researchers based at the University College London, NatCen Social Research, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The data were collected by NatCen Social Research. The funding is currently provided by the National Institute of Aging (R01AG017644) and a consortium of UK government departments coordinated by the National Institute for Health Research. The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan-Supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities (2009-2013), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI Grant Numbers (JP18390200, JP22330172, JP22390400, JP23243070, JP23590786, JP23790710, JP24390469, JP24530698, JP24683018, JP25253052, JP25870573, JP25870881, JP26285138, JP26882010, JP15H01972), Health Labour Sciences Research Grants (H22-Choju-Shitei-008, H24-Junkanki -Ippan-007, H24-Chikyukibo-Ippan-009, H24-Choju-Wakate-009, H25-Kenki-Wakate-015, H25-Choju-Ippan-003, H26-Irryo-Shitei-003 [Fukkou], H26-Choju-Ippan-006, H27-Ninchisyou-Ippan-001, H28-chojuIppan-002, H28-Ninchisho-Ippan-002, H30-Kenki-Ippan-006, H30-Junkankitou-Ippan-004), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (JP17dk0110017, JP18dk0110027, JP18ls0110002, JP18le0110009, JP19dk0110034), Research Funding for Longevity Sciences from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (24-17, 24-23, 29-42, 30-22, 20-40), Open Innovation Platform with Enterprises, Research Institute and Academia (OPERA, JPMJOP1831) from the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and a Research Grant from the Health Science Center Foundation (2019-2020). The funding sources had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2021/3/18
Y1 - 2021/3/18
N2 - Objective Social isolation is a risk factor for depression in older age. However, little is known regarding whether its impact varies depending on country-specific cultural contexts regarding social relationships. The present study examined the association of social isolation with depression onset among older adults in England, which has taken advanced measures against social isolation, and Japan, a super-aged society with a rapidly increasing number of socially isolated people. Design Prospective longitudinal study. Setting We used data from two ongoing studies: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). Participants Older adults aged ≥65 years without depression at baseline were followed up regarding depression onset for 2 years (2010/2011-2012/2013) for the ELSA and 2.5 years (2010/2011-2013) for the JAGES. Primary outcome measure Depression was assessed with eight items from the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for the ELSA and Geriatric Depression Scale for the JAGES. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate social isolation using multiple parameters (marital status; interaction with children, relatives and friends; and social participation). Results The data of 3331 respondents from the ELSA and 33 127 from the JAGES were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that social isolation was significantly associated with depression onset in both countries. In the ELSA, poor interaction with children was marginally associated with depression onset, while in the JAGES, poor interaction with children and no social participation significantly affected depression onset. Conclusions Despite variations in cultural background, social isolation was associated with depression onset in both England and Japan. Addressing social isolation to safeguard older adults' mental health must be globally prioritised.
AB - Objective Social isolation is a risk factor for depression in older age. However, little is known regarding whether its impact varies depending on country-specific cultural contexts regarding social relationships. The present study examined the association of social isolation with depression onset among older adults in England, which has taken advanced measures against social isolation, and Japan, a super-aged society with a rapidly increasing number of socially isolated people. Design Prospective longitudinal study. Setting We used data from two ongoing studies: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). Participants Older adults aged ≥65 years without depression at baseline were followed up regarding depression onset for 2 years (2010/2011-2012/2013) for the ELSA and 2.5 years (2010/2011-2013) for the JAGES. Primary outcome measure Depression was assessed with eight items from the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for the ELSA and Geriatric Depression Scale for the JAGES. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate social isolation using multiple parameters (marital status; interaction with children, relatives and friends; and social participation). Results The data of 3331 respondents from the ELSA and 33 127 from the JAGES were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that social isolation was significantly associated with depression onset in both countries. In the ELSA, poor interaction with children was marginally associated with depression onset, while in the JAGES, poor interaction with children and no social participation significantly affected depression onset. Conclusions Despite variations in cultural background, social isolation was associated with depression onset in both England and Japan. Addressing social isolation to safeguard older adults' mental health must be globally prioritised.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Geriatric medicine
KW - Old age psychiatry
KW - Public health
KW - Social medicine
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U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045834
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045834
M3 - Article
C2 - 33737442
AN - SCOPUS:85102967938
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 11
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 3
M1 - e045834
ER -
